IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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^^    la  Ui  12.2 

!^^=        lU     ISA       ■■■ 

11.1    l.-^ia 

'■^        llSi 

11.25  mu   11.6 


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7 


Photographic 

Sdaices 

Corporation 


U  WIST  MAIN  STREET 

WBISTIR.N.Y.  MS80 

(716)S72-4S03 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


'^mihT- 


Tschnical  and  Bibliographic  Notaa/Notas  tachniquat  at  bibliographiquaa 


Tha  Instituta  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  bast 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturas  of  this 
copy  which  may  ba  blNiographically  uniqua. 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction.  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
tha  usual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  balow. 


D 


Colourad  covars/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 


I      I   Covars  damagad/ 


D 


Couvartura  andommag^ 


Covars  rastorad  and/or  laminatad/ 
Couvartura  rastauria  at/ou  palliculAa 


I      I   Covar  titia  missing/ 


La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 


I      I    Colourad  maps/ 


D 


Cartas  giographiquas  an  coulaur 


Colourad  ink  (i.a.  othar  than  blua  or  black)/ 
Encra  da  coulaur  (i.a.  autra  qua  blaua  ou  noira) 


I      I   Colourad  platas  and/or  illustrations/ 


0 


D 


D 


Planchas  at/ou  illustrations  Bn  coulaur 

Bound  with  othar  matarial/ 
Rail*  avac  d'autras  documants 

Tight  binding  may  causa  shadows  or  distortion 
along  intarior  margin/ 

La  re  liura  sarrie  paut  causar  da  I'ombra  ou  da  la 
distortion  la  long  da  la  marga  intAriaura 

Blank  iaavas  addad  during  rastoration  may 
appaar  within  tha  taxt.  Whanavar  possibla.  thasa 
hava  baan  onrrittad  from  filming/ 
II  sa  paut  qua  cartainas  pagas  blanchas  ajouttes 
lors  d'una  rastauration  apparaissant  dans  la  taxta. 
mais,  lorsqua  cala  itait  possibla,  cas  pagas  n'ont 
pas  it6  filmtes. 

Additional  commants:/ 
Commantairas  supplAmantairas: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  la  maillaur  axamplaira 
qu'il  lui  a  M  possibla  da  sa  procurar.  Las  details 
da  cat  axamplaira  qui  sont  paut-Atra  uniquas  du 
point  da  vua  bibliographiqua,  qui  pauvant  modifiar 
una  imaga  raproduita,  ou  qui  pauvant  axiger  una 
modification  dans  la  mAthoda  normala  da  filmaga 
sont  indiqute  ci-dassous. 


I     I   Colourad  pagas/ 


Pagas  da  coulaur 

Pagas  damagad/ 
Pagas  andommagias 


□    Pagas  rastorad  and/or  laminatad/ 
Pagas  rastaurias  at/ou  palliculias 

I    T/Pagas  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Lid^  Pagas  dicolories,  tachaties  ou  piqu6es 

□   Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtachies 

r^T^  Showthrough/ 
I— —I   Transparence 

□    Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quality  intgala  de  I'impression 

□    Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprand  du  material  suppiimantaira 

□   Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


D 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pagas  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  M  filmies  A  nouveau  de  fa^on  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmi  au  taux  da  rMuction  indiqu*  ci-dassous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


y 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


Tht  copy  filmad  hare  hat  baan  raproducad  thanka 
to  tha  o«naro8ity  of: 

National  Library  off  Canada 


L'axampiaira  fiim6  ffut  raproduit  grflca  A  ia 
gAn4rosit6  da: 

Bibiiothiqua  nationaia  du  Canada 


Tha  Imagaa  appearing  hara  ara  tha  baat  quailty 
posalbia  conaidaring  tha  condition  and  iagibiiity 
off  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  apaciffications. 


Original  copiaa  in  printed  paper  covera  are  ffilmed 
beginning  with  the  ffront  cover  and  ending  on 
the  iaat  page  with  a  printed  or  llluatrated  imprea- 
■lon,  or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copiaa  are  ffilmed  beginning  on  the 
ffirat  page  with  a  printed  or  llluatrated  impres- 
alon,  and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  llluatrated  Impreaaion. 


The  iaat  recorded  fframe  on  each  microfflche 
ahail  contain  the  symbol  — ►  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  y  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  appllea. 


Lea  Imagaa  suivantes  ont  At6  raproduites  avec  le 
plua  grand  soin,  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  nettetA  de  i'exempiaire  fflimi,  et  en 
confformltA  avec  lea  conditions  du  contrat  de 
ffllmage. 

Lea  exemplalres  orlglnaux  dont  ia  couverture  en 
papier  eat  Imprlmte  sont  ffllmte  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  termlnant  aoit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impresslon  ou  d'lllustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  las  autras  exemplaires 
orlglnaux  sont  ffiimte  en  commenpant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impresslon  ou  d'lllustration  et  en  termlnant  par 
la  darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  sulvants  apparaltra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microffiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — ►  signiffle  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  ▼  signiffle  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc..  may  be  ffilmed  at 
different  redaction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  ffilmed 
beginning  lit  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  §tre 
ffiimfe  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  6tre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6. 11  est  ffilmd  A  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rleur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite. 
et  de  haut  en  baa.  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  sulvants 
illustrent  la  mithode. 


1    t 

* 

3 

i 

1 

t 

.   -M   -^ 

:    • 

6 

\ 


lU 


HISTORY 


OV  THI 


War  of  the  United  States 


WITH 


great  BRITAIN  IN  1812. 


s 


AND  or  ZHV 


WAR   WITH   MEXICO 


JOHN  LEWIS  THOMSON. 


Wiiii  atitiitfonjs  anti  Otouectfonis. 


ILLX7STBATED  WITH  NTJMEBOUS  ENGBAVmGSk  FBOM  DESIGNS  BT 
W.  GBOOME  AND  OTHER  ABTISTS. 


PHILADBLPHIl.: 

J.  B.  LIPPINCX)TT  COMPANY. 

1887. 


71226 


i 

K 


1 1. 


"■// 


OH 


"'■•■•  ■?■-  ^'  ^   1  n  1-  ^'.   ft  *  t  * 


\ 


SECOND  WAR  WITH  GREAT  BRITAIN. 

■  ■  I  < ■ ■■  I 

CHAPTER  I.  COMHINOBMERT  OF  TUB  WAS, 18 

II.   NATAI.  OAHPAIOir  OF  1812, 42 

III.  H0STILITIC8  or  THC  ORIEK   INDIANS, 61 

IV.  OPERATIONS  or  TA7L0R  AND  WINCHI8TBR  ON    THE    NORTH-WESTERN 

rRONTIER, 66 

V.  OPERATIONS  or  OENERALS  HARRISON  AND  HOPKINS, 77 

VI.  OPERATIONS  ON  THE  NORTHERN   PRONTIER  IN  1812, 82 

VII.  NATAL  CAMPAIGN  Or   1812,  CONTINUED, 112 

VIII.  OPERATIONS  or  WINCHESTER  AND  HARRISON  IN  THE   NORTB-WEST,    .    125 

IX.  OOHMENOEHENT  Or  THE  CAMPAIGN  OV  1813,    . .'. 146 

X.  OPERATIONS  ON  THE   NIAGARA  PRONTIER, o 188 

XI.  OPERATIONS     or    THE    NORTH-WESTERN    ARMT.  — BATTLE    Or    LAKE 

ERIE.— BATTLE  Or  THE  THAMES, 202 

XII.  OPERATIONS   ON  THE  NIAGARA   PRONTIER, 225 

XIII.  COMMENCEMENT    Or   THE    NATAL  CAMPAIGN    or    1813, 247 

XIV.  OPERATIONS  ON  THE  DELAWARE   ANQ  CRE8APEAKB   BATS, 263 

XV.  OPERATIONS  or  THE   BRITISH  ON  LONG  ISLAND  SOCND» 288 

XVI.  NATAL  OPERATIONS  IN  1813, 300 


n  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XVII.  coMMKMoiMiNT  or  tbk  oAUPAiaw  or  1814, 838 

XVIII.  OPCRATIOm  ON  TBI  RIAOARA  rKONTIBB, 349 

XIX.  runniiB  opbiutiom«  on  thi  nuoara  rioNTH*, 384 

XX.  IMTAaiON  or  rillMONT.^rUBTHBK  OPCIUTIONS  ON  TBI  NIAOARA 

moRTUB, 400 

XXI.  THB  OBBIK  WAB, 421 

XXII.   CAPTUBB  or   WASHINOTON.-'DKrBNra  Or  NBW  OBUAHS, 484 

XXIII.  OMWB  or  THB  NATAL  OAMPAION  or  1814, 486 

THE  FIRST  SEMINOLE  WAR, 400 

BLACK  HAWK'S  WAR 607 

THE  SECOND  SEMINOLE  WAR, 6L> 

WAR  WITH  MEXICO. 


CHAPTER  I.  COMMINCBMBNT  Or  THB  MBZIOAN  WAB, 600 

II.   BATTLB8  Or  THE   BIO  OBANDB, 624 

III.  CAPTURB  or  BARITA  AND  MATAMOBAI, 660 

IV.  STORHINO  or   MOMTBRBT, 676 

V.  batub  or  bvina  tibta, 604 

VI.  OOCnPATION  or  OALirOBNU  AND  NBW  MBZIOO, 600 

VII.  OAPTORB  or  TBBA  ORCB, 616 

VIII.   MARCH  TO  THB  CAPITAI., QSQ 

IX.   CAPTURB  or   MBXICO, 689 


•BVAMiiTTAi  UAnriiei*         . 
■ATTU  or  TimcAiroB,     . 

eOLOVlIi   CAM,  .  • 

BATTKI  or  MASVACA,  • 

BITBOIT,  .  •  • 

OBBAMBBTAIi   BBAIiriBOB,     . 
BIOATB   or  TBI   COBSnTOTIOV  . 
COKVODOBB   aOUi,  . 

VVITBB  STATBt  ABB   MAOBBOBIAB* 
OBBAXXXTA&   HBAOHXCB,. 
OBBAXBBTAI.  TAILHBCB,  . 

■BBBBAI.  BABBIMB,  .  . 

BlIBBIB   or   rOBT   BABBISOB, 
OBBAIHBTA&  TAILHBOB,      . 
OBVAXXBTAIi   BXABHIOB,  . 

OBBAMIBTAL   BXADriBOB,     . 
BirBBSX   or   OeDXBtBVBB,  . 

BATTLB   or    (tVXBBITOWB, . 
rOBT  BIAOABA,  . 

IBBIOBATIOB  Or  TBI   TBOOft, 
OBBAXBBTAL   BIABHXOX,  . 

COXMODOBB    BAIBBBIBOB*  . 
OOBSTITDTIOB    ABO   JATA«  . 

H AtBAGBB  AT   TBX   BITIB  BAIUB*  . 


rAox 

18 

1« 
SS 
M 

U 
48 

4S 

47 

A8 

61 

65 

66 

69 

76 

77 

8« 

84 

88 

M 

107 

113 

118 

180 

181 


(vU) 


▼iu 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


■Il«l  or  rOBT   MMft,  .  •     . 

•UAMBVTAl   »ABr»ei,      ,  '  ,  , 

eOXMODOBI   GBAVVCBT,  -        ,  .  .  ' 

OAFTVBB   or   rOBT   AbOBOB,  4  •  • 

HriiriB  or  iaosbsv'*  babbovb,  . 

■OUTH-BAIT   TIBW   or   ■AOKBTT'b   lABBOVBt  • 

•BTBBAT  or  TBB    BBITIM  VBOIC  tAOBBTT'B  lABBaVat 
OBBAXBBTAK   BBAWIBaB,     .  .  ^  . 

TOCira    OOBBriABTBB,  ,  •  •  • 

ATTACK   OB   BtAOS  •OlSBi    .  •  •  a 

TBOCXBBB,  .  .  .  •  • 

BATTLB   or   lABB    BBIB,       ,  ,  ,  ,  . 

COMNODOBB   riCBBT,  .  «  • 

OOTBBBOB    SHBLBT,  •  •  «  • 

•  BBIBAL   BABBISOir   OBOUIBO   TBB   TBAXBB,        . 
OBBAMBNTAL   BBASPIBOB,    .  •  •  • 

•BBBBAL   XACOMB,  .  *  r  • 

•BBBBAL   BIPIBT,    .  .  .  •  • 

•BBBBAl    WILKIBBOB,  .  .  .  , 

•QBBIirB   or  ^BWISTOWB,  «  •  • 

•BBAMBBTAL  TAILBIBOB,  •  •  • 

OBBAXBBTAL   BBASFIBOB,     .... 
■OBBBT   ABO  rBAOOOX,  .... 
•AllABT  AOTIOB   OB  TBB   SBBBBA&  ABXBTBOBO,         . 
BBTBBPBItB  ABO   BOZBB,  *  .  • 

OBBAMBBTAL   BBADVIBOB,     .... 
ATTACK  OB  BATBB   OB  SBACB,    .  .  . 

aVBBIBO  or  rBBDBBICKTOWir,  ... 

•BBAXBBTAL  TAILPIBCB,  ... 

OBBAMBBTAL   BBAOriBCB,  .... 
ABBAXBBTAL  TAILFIBCB,  •  •  • 

«BBAXBBTAL   BBAOriBCB,.  .  •  • 

OBCIIB  or    TBI   ABOUI,  •  •  . 

eAPTAIB  ALLIB,        ..... 
OAFTAIB  |>0BTBb'b   CBUIIB  IX  TBB  VACme,         , 
eOXXODOBB  |OBTBB,  .... 

.VBACOCKABD  XrBBTIBB,  •  .  . 

COXXODOBX   WABBIBSTOWX,  ,  .  , 

VASr   AXB   ATOB,  .  .  . 

OArrAiir  bla^ikt,  .... 

•BXAXVXTAL  TAItrXBOB,  .  .  , 


rAoi 

141 

.  U6 
141 

.  les 

m 

.  Ill 

IM 
.  181 

IN 
.  19S 

tot 

.  tu 
tu 

.  Sl« 
S34 

.  sts 

tso 

.  t88 

t85 
.  tit 

M8 
.   t47 

t49 
.  t8p 

t8t 

;  t88 

t71 
.  t76 

t87 
.  888 

888 
.  800 

80.1 
.  808 

808 
.  91t 

817 
.  8^0 

.  m 

8S7 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


FAOI 

141 
.    U6 

148 
.    16S 

177 
.    181 

184 
.    188 

194 

.  m 

.  an 

814 

.    816 

884 


833 
836 
ti* 

•M 

847 

869 

'  t6S 

871 

.   «W 
887 

.   888 

899 
.   800 
801 
.    806 
808 
.    S12 
817 
.    880 
824 
.    381 
887 


•BSAMIVTAl   ■lABIIlOlt    .  . 

AfTAOB  Oir   OtWICO,     ,  ., 

•vairiws  or  sotib,  .  • 

OBIIAIIIKTAI.  TAIUIMIi  . 

OBWAMI>TAIi   ■lABFIIOIt     .  . 

■ATTU  or  cairrawA, 

eOKOVIL  KILLBB  AT  LVHVV'o  hAMM, 
•inBAL  MIUIBi  .  .• 

•BWAXBirTAL  TAIiriBOBt     .  .. 

OBBAHBBTAL   BBABriBOBi 
•BBBBAL    BAIBBt,    .  ..  .  . 

BarBBBB  or  bobt  bbib,  . 

•BBAMBHTAL  BBASriBOB,    .  '    • 

BOBUVOTOB    BAT,  .  . 

BATTLB   or   LAKB    GIAMrK^IlT, 
OOKXODOBB   X*DOBOU«B,  , 

•BirBBAL   BBOWir, 
•BBBBAl  JAGBBOll,        .  , 

TBB   rBOFBBT,  .  . 


•BITAXBXTAL  TAIKBIBOB,     .  « 

BIASBHIBCBO,  .  . 

OOMXOBOBB   BABBBT,  . 

TOBT   XVBHBT,  .  • 

BOXBABSXBirT  OT  TOBT  «*BB«BT, 

roBTirnvo  or  bbw  oblbabi^ 

BATTtB   or  BBW  OBIBABI, 
OBVAXBBTAL   BBAOriBOB,    -  • 

BOBBBT  ABB  rBBOUIB.  . 

BWATB   or  TBB    BOBXBT,  , 

rBABCia  BIILIBBAOO,  . 

OBBAXBBTAI.  TAILFIBCB,  . 

BLACK    BAWK,  .  . 

OBBBBAK  BCOTT,  .  , 

OIOBOLA,     .  .  . 

KAMACBB   nr  BABB'b  BBTAOI 
HIOABOrB,  .  . 

BATTLB   or    0KBBH3H0>BBB, 
BATTLB   or  FALAKLAKLABAi 
OBBAKBHTAL  TAILrilOX, 
COBPOa    CBBISTI,     .  . 


FAOI 

888 

838 
848 


849 
366, 

870 
874 
888 
881 

890 
S98 

400 

400 

410 

418 

417 

421 

426 

438 

488 

434 

489 

443 

460 

480 

483 

487 

493 

496 

499 

604 

607 

611 

616 

619 

621 

629 

636 

638 

641 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


MIVI   IIABIt, 

eirrvsi  or  oArrAin  rmomwnM, 
WMT  ■■oir»,  • 

BATTIB  m   r«M  AITO,        . 

•■ATI  or  »iir««oiB,    .  a 

•BVAMBBTAI.  TAIIBIBOB,     . 
•■VAMBBTAt   BBABriBVB, 

■BZIOAB   BBllT&BliBB, 
OBjrAKBBTAK   BBABPIBOB,  , 

TIB  AHBBIOAM   ABMf   BBTBBIBB  II 
•TOBHIBB  OP  rOBT  TBBBBIA.    . 


PAOB 

AM 
«M 


MT 
AA9 


ITS  HABea  TO  HBBTBBBri 


TBB  BIIBOP  ■   BAIACB, 


•TBBBT  tlOBT  OB  OBBBBAt   WOBTB  ■  BIBB,- 


669 

.  675 

ATI 
.  A78 

AM 
.  AAt 

AM 

.  A91 

.    A9S 

.  A04 

AAA 
.  Ml 

609 

.  M9 

•    616 

•BVBBAl   WOBTB,    ..t****««     616 

619 


WOBTB  AT  aOBTBBBT. 


■AITTA  ABBA, 


BATTIB  OF   BVBBA  TIITA. 


OBBBBAl  TATIOB  AT   BUBBA  TISTA, 


■BAB  KVUTBBB  ABB  BBBTABTi 


•BBBBAIi  KBABBT, 


OAFTVBB  OB  BABVOO. 


•IBOB  or  TBBA  OBCB, 


AKBBIOAB    riBXT  lALUTIBO  TBB  OABT&B  ArTBB  I*i  BBBBBBBBBy 


■BZIOABt   KBATIBO   TBBA   OBVB, 


eOHMIBCBMBBT  Or  TBB    OVIBILKA   WABrABB, 


•BBBBAl  TWIOOI, 


fALABA, 


BATTIiB   or   CBBBO  BOBBO, 
OAVTCBB  or   TCSPAB, 
BATTI.B  or   OBUBOBVBOO, 
KBZIOAB  OrtlOBB,. 

oirr  or  mbzico,  . 

TAOOBATA,  . 

OBABVLTBrBO,    .  . 

rVBBtA  BB  LOB  ABBBMB, 
OBBAHBBTAB  TAIUIBCB,. 


6S8 

695 

6M 
618 
6M 
Ml 
689 
684 
688 
689 
645 
647 
Ml 
6M 


1SS 


.   MT 


.    ftTft 
•It 


.   Ml 

Mt 
.   »•* 

•M 
.    «0l 

6M 
.    609 

•IS 
.    •!• 

•It 

m 

.    CM 
6M 

.    630 
6S1 

.  6ai 

6S4 
.    688 

689 
.    646 

647 
.    651 

666 


^%^^^^^ 


OFTHI 


L  Jl  i  £ 


62 


i 


®ommrnc(ment  of  tftt  Wi»t» 

About  the  close  of  the  year  1911  tlie 
Indian  affairs  on  the  southern  and  north- 
western frontiers  of  the  United  States 
assumed  ;  n  aspect  of  a  much  more  alarm- 
ing nature  than  that  which  hafl  been 
marked  by  any  of  the  previous  depreda- 
tions of  the  neighbouring  tribes.  Inces- 
sant incursions  were  followed  by  the 
extinction  of  whole  families,  and  the  seve- 
ral nations  seemed  emulous  of  excelling 
each  other  in  acts  of  the  greatest  horror. 
An  unextinguishable  hostility  was  mani- 
fested by  the  most  powerful  chiefs  and 
warriors,  whose  enmity  towards  the  fron- 
tier inhabitants  was  excited,  and  kept 
alive  by  an  industrious  circulation  of 

as) 


14 


EXPEDITION  TO  PROPHET  8  TOWN. 


:f 


inflammatory  addresses,  and  alluring  gifts.  The  conduct  of  the 
British  traders  was  far  from  being  consistent  with  the  pacific 
disposition  which  their  government  had  been  professing;  and  the 
faciUty  with  which  the  Indians  became  possessed  of  every  de- 
scription of  offensive  weapons,  known  to  be  beyond  their  means, 
either  to  manufacture  or  to  purchase,  led  to  suspicions  of  their 
having  been  supplied  by  its  appointed  agencs.  The  result  of 
investigations  which  were  made  by  the  governors  of  Ohio,  and 
of  the  Michigan  and  Illinois  territories,  gave  strong  confirmation 
to  these  suspicions,  and  it  was  ascertained  that  great  quantities 
of  missiles,  arms,  and  ammunition,  had  been  delivered  to  the  dif- 
ferent nations,  contiguous  to  the  British  posts. 

The  influence  of  a  Shawanese,  who  styled  himself  "  the  Pro- 
phet," and  who  neglected  no  means  to  excite  the  most  violent 
animosities  against  the  people  of  the  United  States,  had  produced 
among  the  Indians  on  the  borders  of  the  Wabash,  a  disposition  to 
massacre  and  plunder,  to  so  enormous  an  extent,  that  the  vigorous 
interference  of  the  government  was  no  longer  to  be  delayed.  Mea- 
sures were  therefore  immediately  adopted,  in  conjunction  with 
Governor  William  H.  Harrison,  to  repel  by  force,  any  further  out- 
rages which  could  not  be  prevented  by  amicable  treaty.  Tue 
militia  of  Indiana,  and  a  regiment  of  United  States  infantry, 
commanded  by  Colonel  John  P.  Boyd,  were  accordingly  ordered 
to  march,  under  Governor  Harrison,  to  the  Prophet's  town,  to 
demand  restoration  of  the  plunder  which  the  Indians  had  com- 
mitted, and  to  reduce  them  to  terms,  which  would  secure  the  future 
peace  of  that  territory.  In  the  month  of  November,  1811,  this  body 
of  troops  were  within  four  miles  of  the  Prophet's  town  (having 
already  marched  thirty-four  days)  before  the  Indians  had  any 
expectation  of  seeing  them ;  when  one  of  the  chiefs  came  out,  and 
proposed  that  Governor  Harrison  should  encamp  near  them  until 
morning,  at  which  time  the  Prophet  would  willingly  enter  into  a 
treaty  of  peace.  This  proposal  was  agreed  to,  and  the  army  were 
encamped  in  line  of  battle,  with  orders  to  keep  on  their  accoutre- 
ments, and  to  lie  upon  their  arms,  so  that  they  might  be  ready 
for  action  without  one  moment's  delay.  At  four  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  the  seventh,  the  camp  was  attained  with  great  fury 
by  the  savages  at  one  point,  where  the  bayonet,  however,  soon 


BATTLE    OF    TIPPECANOE. 


15 


Battle  of  Tippecanritf. 

dispersed  them,  and  where  three  Indians  were  found  within  the 
line  of  sentinels  seeking  the  commander.  The  morning  was 
excessively  dark,  and  the  men  could  only  be  distinguished  by  the 
watchword,  or  the  flashes  of  the  musketry.  By  the  aid  of  this 
momentary  light,  the  Indians  were  seen  crowding  into  the  camp ; 
but  they  were  entirely  routed  by  several  vigorous  and  intrepid 
charges.  The  conduct  of  Colonel  Boyd  and  the  4th  regiment, 
after  the  action  had  become  more  general,  intimidated  and  put  the 
Indians  to  flight ;  at  the  dawn  of  day  they  were  closely  pursued, 
and  numbers  of  them  killed.  The  cavalry  were  now  first  brought 
into  action,  but  the  savages  fled  from  them  in  great  confusion, 
abandoned  their  town,  into  which  they  had  been  driven,  and 
escaped  across  the  river.  Fifty-three  Indians  were  lying  dead 
about  the  encampment,  and  their  loss,  in  killed  and  wounded, 
was  estimated  at  one  hundred  and  fifty.  Of  the  4t.h  regiment, 
seventy-seven  were  killed  and  wounded.  The  loss  of  the  whole 
force  amounted,  from  the  most  accurate  account,  to  one  hundred 
and  eighty-seven.  Most  of  the  militia  under  Governor  Harrison, 
behaved  ^vith  great  courage  and  bravery:  but  to  Colonel  Boyd, 
whose  experience  in  the  Mahrattah  (India)  service,  well  qualified 
\\\m  for  a  combat  wi^h  the  Prophet's  warriors,  is  much  of  the 


J6 


THE    president's    MESSAGE- 


success  of  this  battle  to  be  attributed.  Tranquillity  being  now 
restored  to  the  territory  of  Indiana,  the  troops  returned  to  Fort 
Harrison — distance  one  hundred  miles — and  the  militia  to  their 
homes.  Many  months  had  not  elapsed,  however,  before  the  Pro- 
phet, in  connexion  with  Tecumseh,  a  chief  of  great  valour,  and  of 
equal  ambition,  threatened  a  renewal  of  hostilities,  not  only  against 
the  inhabitants  of  Indiana,  but  of  the  adjacent  territories.* 

To  guard  against  future  encroachments  from  the  savages,  and 
to  protect  such  of  the  inhabitants  as  had  yet  escaped  their  fury, 
it  was  necessary  that  the  peace  establishment  should  be  aug- 
mented, and  new  regiments  raised,  of  a  nature  to  cope  with  the 
Indian  warfare.  Indications  of  hostility  to  the  interests  of  the 
United  States  were  about  this  time  evinced  in  the  conduct,  as 
weU  of  the  British  ministry,  as  of  their  public  ships  of  war  on  the 
American  coast,  in  neutral  ports,  and  on  the  ocean. 

In  the  event  of  a  more  decided  character  being  given  to  this 
state  of  relations  between  the  United  States,  Great  Britain,  and 
the  Indians,  the  necessity  of  a  larger  army  would  become  still 
more  urgent.  In  providing  against  these  threatening  evils,  the 
second  session  of  the  twelfth  Congress  had  been  protracted  to  an 
unusual  length,  and  on  finding  remonstrances  to  be  unavailing, 
the  president,  on  the  first  of  June,  1812,  laid  before  the  two 
houses  a  detail  of  the  various  enormities  committed  against  this 
nation  by  the  British  government  and  the  officers  representing  it. 
Their  immediate  attention  was  required  to  this  subject,  as  it  was 
thought  necessary,  by  the  greatest  proportion  of  the  people,  that 
such  encroaching  injuries  should  at  last  be  resisted  by  the  most 
effectual  means.  Documents  being  in  possession  of  the  executive 
which  placed  the  insulting  practices  of  the  British,  against  the 
commerce  and  national  honour  of  the  United  States,  beyond  all 
doubt,  the  communication  set  forth,  "  that  the  cruisers  of  that 
nation  had  been  in  the  continued  practice  of  violating  the  Ameri- 


«' 


•  Although  the  affair  on  the  Wabash,  which  has  been  distinguished  by  the  name  of 
•The  Battle  of  Tippecanoe,"  was  previous  to  the  declaration  of  war,  it  is  indispensable 
to  the  introduction  to  its  history  that  it  should  be  at  least  briefly  referred  to— the  limits 
of  this  work  do  not  admit  of  as  full  a  description  of  a  victory  which  has  reflected  so 
moch  lustre  on  the  American  character,  as  the  author  is  desirous  to  give,  or  the  reader 
periiapt  to  receive. 


;('t 


THE    president's    MESSAGE. 


17 


tive 

the 

all 

that 


can  flag  on  the  great  highway  of  nations,  and  of  seizing  and 
carrying  off  persons  sailing  under  it;  not  in  the  exercise  of  a  bel- 
ligerent right,  founded  m.  the  law  of  nations — against  an  enemy, 
but  of  a  municipal  prerogative  over  British  subjects; 

"That  they  had  been  in  the  practice  also  of  violating  the  peace 
and  the  rights  of  our  coasts  by  hovering  over  and  harassing  our 
entering  and  departing  commerce;  and  that  to  the  most  insulting 
pretensions  they  had  added  the  most  lawless  proceedings  in  oui 
very  harbours,  and  wantonly  spilt  American  blood  within  the 
sanctuary  of  our  territorial  jurisdiction; 

"That  they  were  aiming  to  sacriloe  our  commercial  interests, 
and  were  laying  waste  our  neutral  trade,  not  because  we  supplied 
their  enemy,  but  by  carrying  on  a  war  against  our  friendly  com- 
merce that  they  might  themselves  pursue  an  intercourse  with  their 
enemy; 

"That  they  were  plundering  our  vessels  on  the  high  seas 
under  pretended  blockades,  without  the  necessary  presence  of  an 
adequate  force  to  maintain  them,  and  that  to  these  transcendent 
acts  of  injustice  the  cabinet  of  Great  Britain  added  at  length  the 
sweeping  system  of  blockade  under  the  name  of  orders  in  council, 
which  had  been  moulded  to  suit  its  political  views,  its  commer- 
cial jealousies,  or  the  avidity  of  British  cruisers; 

"That,  at  the  very  moment  when  their  pubHc  minister  was 
holding  the  language  of  friendship  and  inspiring  confidence  in 
the  sincerity  of  the  negotiations  with  which  he  was  charged,  a 
secret  agent  of  his  government  was  employed  in  intrigues,  ha\ing 
for  their  object  a  subversion  of  our  government  and  a  dismember- 
ment of  our  Union; 

"That  the  warfare  which  was  just  renewed  by  the  savages  on 
our  frontiers,  which  spared  neither  age  nor  sex,  and  was  distin- 
guished by  features  peculiarly  shocking  to  humanity,  could  not 
be  referred  to  without  connecting  their  hostility  with  the  influence 
of  British  traders  and  garrisons,  nor  without  recollecting  the 
authenticated  examples  of  the  interpositions  of  the  officers  and 
agents  of  that  government.    And, 

"That  in  fine,  on  the  side  of  Great  Britain,  there  was  a  staie 
of  war  against  the  United  States;  and  on  the  side  of  the  United 
States  a  state  of  peace  towards  Great  Britain." 


)8 


GENERAL    HULL*S    EXPEDITION. 


I 


The  committee  of  foreign  relations,  to  whom  this  message  wa* 
referred,  leported  a  manifesto  to  the  House,  in  which,  after  recapi 
tulating  these  grievances,  they  recommended,  as  the  only  mear 
sure  to  prevent  future  aggression,  an  immediate  appeal  to  arms; 
and  on  the  18th  of  June,  an  act  was  passed  declaring  war  against 
the  kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  and  the  dependencies 
thereof;  which  received  the  executive  sanction. 

A  small  army,  consisting  of  the  4th  regiment  of  infantry,  and 
three  regiments  of  Ohio  volunteers,  was  ordered,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Brigadier-General  Hull,  to  protect  the  frontiers  against 
the  incursions  of  the  savages.  After  the  declaration  of  war,  this 
force  being  nearest  to  the  most  convenient  point  of  invasion,  was 
directed  to  repair  to  the  town  of  Detroit,  on  the  river  of  that 
name,  and  opposite  Sandwich,  a  beautiful  and  extensive  village 
in  Upper  Canada. 

On  the  5th  of  July,  after  a  tedious  and  fatiguing  march  of 
thirty-five  days,  during  which  he  was  obliged  to  fortify  his  camp, 
at  every  position  which  he  occupied  at  night,  to  prevent  a  sur- 
prise from  a  party  of  Indians,  who,  aided  by  the  British,  had 
closely  and  constantly  reconnoitered  him,  and  who  had  planned 
an  attack  upon  Detroit,  which  the  approach  of  his  army  frustrated, 
he  arrived  at  that  post  with  two  thousand  five  hundred  men. 
He  had  no  sooner  garrisoned  the  American  shore  of  the  Detroit, 
than  the  British  began  to  throw  up  breastworks  and  to  erect  batr 
teries  on  the  opposite  side.  The  first  of  these  was  destroyed  by 
a  well-directed  fire  firom  the  fort,  and  the  persons  employed  at  it 
were  obliged  precipitately  to  retire ;  a  second,  which  was  situated 
about  three  miles  below,  was  destroyed  in  like  manner,  by  a  few 
pieces  of  cannon  despatched  for  that  purpose,  and  worked  with 
so  much  skill  that  the  enemy  was  compelled  to  abandon  his  de- 
sign of  fortifying  at  that  point. 

Active  preparations  were  now  making  for  an  immediate  inva- 
sion of  Canada ;  boats  were  constructed  capable  of  containing  a 
regiment,  and  the  passage  of  the  whole  army  was  to  be  effected 
at  the  same  instant — the  width  of  the  river  being  favourable  to 
the  crossing  of  the  troops,  either  above  or  below  the  point  selected 
to  oppose  their  landing,  the  enemy  was  allowed,  on  his  third 
attempt,  to  erect,  without  annoyance,  a  battery  of  seven  «maU 


GENERAL    HULL's    EXPEDITION. 


19 


cannon  and  two  mortars.  Every  preparation  having  been  com 
pleted,  the  embarkation  took  place  on  the  12th.  The  army  landed 
on  the  Canadian  shore,  above  the  fort,  and  entered  Sandwich 
without  opposition.  Those  of  the  inhabitants  who  had  not  been 
compelled  to  repair  to  the  defence  of  Maiden,  were  without  arms, 
and  therefore  made  no  show  of  resistance  to  the  Americans,  by 
whom  they  were  honourably  respected  in  their  property  and  per- 
sons. Possession  was  had,  in  a  few  days,  of  the  whole  country 
from  the  river  Thames,  or  la  Tranche,  so  called  from  the  even- 
ness and  beauty  of  its  bank,  to  a  nvulet  within  five  miles  of 
Maiden,  whither  the  British  regulars  and  Canadian  militia,  with 
several  hundred  Indians,  had  retired. 

Prior  to  the  occupation  of  Sandwich,  however,  the  enemy  had 
removed  his  most  valuable  stores,  and  whilst  he  was  throwing  up 
breastworks,  and  apparently  fortifying  that  place  for  defence,  the 
largest  division  of  his  troops  was  employed  in  transporting  them 
to  Amherstburg.         '  / 

If  General  Hull's  instructions  admitted  of  his  striking  a  blow 
immediately  on  his  arrival  at  Detroit,  a  favourable  opportunity 
was  culpably  neglected.  But,  on  hearing  a  proposition  from  his 
officers  to  cross  the  river  below,  to  cut  off  the  communication  be- 
tween the  two  divisions  at  Sandwich  and  Amherstburg,  and 
suddenly  to  rush  upon  and  carry  Fort  Maiden  by  storm,  he  alleged 
the  necessity  of  waiting  for  positive  orders  for  the  invasion  of 
Canada  before  he  could  embark  his  troops  for  that  purpose. 
Whilst  the  force  at  Maiden  was  weakened  by  the  employment 
of  the  men  at  Sandwich,  this  project  might  have  been  carried 
into  effect,  and  his  army,  besides  prisoners,  would  have  obtained 
a  large  accession  of  stores  and  ammunition.  Wlien  he  arrived 
at  Sandwich,  the  British  army,  with  these  and  other  stores,  and 
an  augmented  Indian  force,  had  collected  at,  and  were  placing 
Maiden  in  a  state  to  sustain  a  siege.  To  attempt  the  reduction 
of  that  garrison  by  storm,  after  the  enemy  had  effected  this  con- 
centration of  his  forces,  it  was  necessary  to  proceed  against  it  with 
a  train  of  battering  cannon,  and  ladders  of  a  sufficient  height  and 
number  to  scale  the  walls  at  various  points.  The  American  army 
had  neither  of  these  at  that  time  in  readiness,  and  its  operations 
were  delayed  for  one  month  in  preparing  two  twenty-four  pounders 


20 


LOSS    OF    MICHILIMACKINAC. 


h'  ^■ 


and  three  hov/itzers.  In  this  interval  such  advantages  were  gained 
as  result  from  subsisting  on  the  resources  of  the  enemy's  country, 
and  the  capture  of  some  camp  articles,  and  a  small  supply  of  arms, 
by  reconnoitering  parties. 

Meanwhile,  the  British  and  Indians  at  St.  Josephs,  had  been 
making  preparations  for  an  attack  on  Fort  Michilimackinac,*  (a 
position  on  an  island  of  that  name  and  in  General  Hull's  com- 
mand,) and  on  the  16th,  foucdays  after  the  occupation  of  Sand- 
wich by  the  troops  of  the  United  States,  the  British  embarked  at 
St.  Josephs,  and  reached  the  island  early  on  the  following  morn- 
ing. Their  force,  consisting  of  three  hundred  and  six  white 
troops,  and  seven  hundred  and  fifteen  Indians,  was  commanded 
by  Captain  Roberts,  of  the  British  regulars,  who  sent  in  a  pri- 
soner to  inform  the  commandant  that  if  any  resistance  was  made 
the  garrison  and  inhabitants  would  be  indiscriminately  put  to  the 
sword.  The  inhabitants  knovnng  that  the  fort  had  but  fifty- 
seven  men  for  its  defence,  escaped  from  the  island,  or  fled  for 
refuge  to  the  enemy,  in  great  numbers;  but  many  of  them  had 
no  opportunity  to  do  either,  and  were  obliged  to  remain  and  abide 
the  issue  of  the  day.  The  commandant  of  the  garrison.  Lieute- 
nant Porter  Hanks,  of  the  artillery,  determined  to  give  as  gallant 
a  resistance  to  the  assailants  as  his  small  force  would  allow  him. 

The  island  of  Michilimackinac  is  about  nine  miles  in  circum- 
ference, of  irregular  form  and  broken  surface.  It  is  separated 
from  the  main  land  by  a  strait  of  about  seven  miles  broad,  its 
greatest  breadth  is  three  miles,  and  its  elevation  above  the  lake, 
on  its  highest  ground,  about  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  feet.  A 
proposal  was  made  to  government,  in  1797,  to  erect  a  citadel  on 
this  elevation,  which  would  be  impregnable.  Two  square  stx)ne 
houses,  united  by  a  stockade,  stand  in  the  rear  of  the  fort,  which 
is  situated  on  a  bluff  rock  rising  from  the  water,  but  is  entirely 
overlooked  by  the  high  ground  at  a  distance  of  six  hundred  yards. 
I'he  island  itself  is  of  a  circular  form,  highest  in  the  centre,  and 
resembling  a  t\irtle's  back ;  from  which  circumstance  it  is  said  to 
have  taken  its  name — (Michilimackinac,  or  the  Turtle.) 

The  enemy  had  landed  on  the  back  part  of  the  island,  and  urged 


*  Pronounced— Mackinaw. 


LOSS    OF    MICHILIMACKINAC. 


91 


his  approach  within  cannon  shot  of  the  fort,  where  he  gained  the 
ominence  commanding  it,  and  from  which  he  directed  a  piece  of 
heavy  cannon  against  its  most  defenceless  side.  The  Indiami 
were  arranged  on  the  edge  of  an  adjoining  wood.  The  British 
commandant  now  sent  a  flag,  with  a  demand  for  the  surrender  of 
the  fort  and  island,  and  communicated  the  first  intelhgence  which 
the  garrison  received  of  the  declaration  of  war.  The  movement 
of  the  British  and  Indians  had  been  until  this  moment  considered 
as  one,  among  the  many  outrages,  to  which  the  frontier  of  that 
neighbourhood  had  been  exposed,  and  the  American  commandant 
had  resolved  to  shut  himself  up  and  defend  the  fortress  to  the 
\rery  last  extremity,  though  it  should  result  in  the  total  annihila- 
tion of  his  force.  But,  on  being  informed  of  the  actual  state  ot 
hostilities,  he  was  aware  that  if  he  held  out,  the  enemy,  whose 
present  number  could  not  be  effectually  opposed,  might  be  largely 
reinforced,  and  that  the  fall  of  the  garrison  would  be  followed  by 
the  threatened  indiscriminate  slaughter,  as  well  of  the  soldiers 
composing  it,  as  of  the  non-combatant  inhabitants  of  the  island. 
The  only  measure  which  could  save  them  from  the  brutal  mas- 
sacre of  the  savages,  was  a  surrender  of  the  fort  to  the  British, 
and  Lieutenant  Hanks  very  prudently  entered  into  terms  of 
capitulation,  in  which  he  secured  a  promised  protection  to  all 
private  property,  though  he  put  the  enemy  in  pc;  ...jsion  of  a  for- 
tress susceptible  of  being  rendered  the  strongest  in  America. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  loss  of  Michilimackinac  took  place 
on  the  17th  of  July,  and  that  General  Hull,  alrf.ady  apprized  of 
the  war.  arrived  at  Detroit  on  the  6th — and  the  reader  will  judge 
whether  this  intelligence  could  not  have  been  transmitted  to 
Michilimackinac,  a  distance  of  two  hundred  and  fifty-four  miles, 
and  whether  that  post  ought  not  to  have  been  immediately  rein- 
forced. The  enemy  had  knowledge  of  the  existence  of  hostilities, 
through  the  activity  of  persons  concerned  in  the  North-west  Fur 
Company,  nine  days  preceding  the  arrival  of  the  American  dis- 
posables, whilst  the  American  garrison  was  suffered  to  remain  in 
Ignorance  for  twelve  days  after — and  to  the  vigilance  of  one  side, 
and  the  tardiness  or  negligence  of  the  other,  is  this  disaster  to  b«3 
ascribed. 

Preparations  were  still  going  on  at  Sandwich  for  an  attempt 


n 


HULL    AT    SANDWICH. 


ki  II 


IJI  4i  i 


on  Maiden,  when  the  army  were  informed  of  the  affair  at  Michi 
limackinac  by  the  capture  of  two  vessels,  in  which  the  prisoners 
taken  there  had  been  embarked.  Unless  the  contemplated  attack 
on  Maiden  should  result  in  the  success  of  the  American  arms,  the 
situation  of  the  troops  would  become  critical  in  the  extreme ;  the 
poss'^ssion  of  Michilimackinac  gave  the  enemy  many  decided  ad- 
vantages, and  if  the  capture  of  that  post  should  be  followed  up  by  an 
a:«sault  on  Fort  Chicago,  all  the  fortified  stations  west  of  Detroit 
would  be  in  his  hands,  and  the  whole  of  his  Indian  forces  might 
be  thrown  upon  that  frontier.  Detroit  would  be  an  easy  conquest, 
and  the  American  army  might  be  so  encompassed  that  its  retreat 
would  be  impossible.  The  Indians  from  the  shores  of  the  north- 
western lakes  were  already  released  from  constraint,  and  the 
British  commander  was  collecting  large  bodies  of  them  to  move 
down  upon  Detroit  and  the  intermediate  garrisons.  Depending 
on  the  arrival  of  reinforcements,  however,  for  which,  in  anticipa- 
tion of  these  events  General  Hull  had  despatched  numerous 
expresses;  and  being  assured  of  the  importance  of  the  occupation 
of  Amherstburg,  he  remained  at  Sandwich,  carrying  on  an  ex- 
cursive war  by  small  parties,  and  reconnoitering  the  enemy's 
outposts  with  incessant  vigilance.  Skirmishes  were  frequent.  In 
one  of  them  Colonel  M'Arthur  made  capture  of  a  quantity  of 
arms,  ammunition,  flour,  and  other  provisions,  and  upwards  of 
one  thousand  blankets. 

Colonel  Cass,  of  the  3d  regiment  of  Ohio  volunteers,  was  or- 
dered with  a  detachment  of  two  hundred  and  eighty  men,  to 
reconnoiter  an  advanced  post  of  the  enemy  upon  a  long  bridge, 
crossing  Riviere  Aux  Canards,  or  the  River  of  the  Ducks,  about 
four  miles  from  Fort  Maiden.  A  company  of  riflemen,  com 
manded  by  Captain  Robinson,  was  concealed  near  the  bridge, 
with  directions  to  fire  upon  and  divert  the  attention  of  the  guard 
stationed  upon  it,  as  soon  as  the  remaining  part  of  the  detachment 
should  bie  seen  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river,  which  was  in- 
tended to  be  forded  about  five  miles  below.  An  unlocked  for 
difficulty  at  the  ford  caused  so  much  delay  in  the  movement  of 
the  detachment,  that  it  did  not  appear  at  the  appointea  ground 
until  sunset,  when,  having  marched,  without  a  guide,  too  near 
the  bank  of  the  river,  its  progress  was  obstructed  by  a  tributary 


COLONEL 


Colonel  Can. 


creek;  to  pass  this,  a  march  of  another  mile  was  necessary,  and 
time  was  consequently  allowed  for  the  enemy  to  prepare  for  his 
defence.  On  coming  down  the  creek.  Colonel  Cass  found  the 
British  already  formed,  and  received  from  them  a  distant  fire  of 
musketry.  The  detachment  moved  on,  however,  in  good  order 
and  with  great  spirit  and  alacrity.  The  British,  who  had  been 
reinforced  at  intervals  during  the  whole  afternoon,  and  whose 
number  was  made  up  of  the  41st  regiment  and  some  Indians, 
made  several  other  attempts  to  fire,  but  were  as  often  compelled 
to  retreat,  the  detachment  continuing  to  move  up,  regardless  of 
their  opposition.  They  were  driven  more  than  half  a  mile,  when 
the  darkness  of  the  night  made  further  pursuit  hazardous,  and 
Colonel  Cass  was  content  to  possess  the  bridge  and  some  adjoin- 
ing houses  until  morning,  when,  after  reconnoitering  the  neigh- 
bourhood  and  not  finding  the  enemy,  he  commenced  his  return 
to  the  camp  at  Sandwich.  No  accurate  information  could  be 
obtained  of  the  force  opposed  to  the  detachment,  but  the  loss  of 
the  enemy  was  reported  by  deserters  at  eleven  killed  and  wounded. 
The  detachment  lost  not  a  single  man.    The  bridge  was  aftei 


t'!:i 


I 


In, 


84  RECONNOI88ANCE    BY    m'aRTHUR. 

^vard8  fortified  by  the  British  with  six  pieces  of  artillery,  but  1hi« 
'  being  deemed  insufficient  for  its  defence,  they  removed  both 
bridge  and  battery  and  planted  their  cannon  behind  a  breastwork 
constructed  from  the  timber. 

Three  days  after  (19th  July)  Colonel  M' Arthur  with  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  men  from  his  own  regiment,  (Ohio  volunteers,) 
on  relieving  a  detachment  which  was  out,  proceeded  to  the 
reconnoitering  ground  of  Colonel  Cass,  whence  he  discovered  the 
enemy— eighty-five  regulars,  forty  Indians,  and  one  hundred  and 
fifty  militia  protected  by  this  battery.  The  Queen  Charlotte  of 
twenty  guns  being  at  the  same  time  anchored  in  Detroit  river,  at 
the  mouth  of  Aux  Canards,  with  a  gunboat  cruising  about  her. 
The  firing  was  kept  up  for  nearly  an  hour  between  the  battery  and 
a  few  riflemen  in  advance  of  the  troops,  but  at  too  great  a  distance 
to  have  effect,  whilst  M'Arthur  was  examining  the  Queen 
Charlotte. 

On  finding  thie  enemy  so  well  protected  by  the  battery,  the 

riflemen  were  ordered  to  retire  to  the  detachment,  but  M' Arthur's 

desire  to  ascertain  the  true  situation  of  the  enemy,  induced  him 

to  go  near  the  broken  bridge  with  a  glass.     He  discovered  that 

the  Indians  had  principally  left  the  battery,  and  was  almost  at  the 

same  instant  informed  by  a  messenger  from  the  detachment  that 

a  number  of  them  were  seen  passing  to  a  road  in  its  rear.     He 

was  now  attended  by  Dr.  M'Anaw  and  Captain  PuthufF,  who,  on 

turning  their  horses  to  ride  with  him  to  the  detachment,  were 

fired  upon  by  about  thirty  Indians,  from  their  concealment  in  a 

brush,  at  the  distance  of  only  one  hundred  yards.     They  escaped, 

however,  without  being  hurt,  a  ball  intended  for  M'Arthur  having 

struck  his  horse's  head  below  the  browband,  and  glancing  to  the 

ground.     His  men  were  led  to  the  pursuit  of  the  Indians,  and 

drove  them  across  Aux  Canards  to  the  battery,  between  the 

detachment  and  which  the  fire  was  kept  up  at  long  shot  for  three 

hours,  vrithout  other  injury  to  the  Americans  than  the  wounding 

of  two  men,  though  several  broadsides  had  been  discharged  from 

the  Queen  Charlotte. 

The  chief,  Tecumseh,  celebrated  for  his  dexterity  with  the 
tomahawk  and  rifle,  not  less  than  for  his  relentless  cr-^elty  in  the 
use  of  them  against  the  inhabitants  of  the  frontier,  was  at  the 


DISPOSITION    OF    THE    TROOPS. 


2ft 


head  of  the  Indians.  The  escape,  therefore,  of  M' Arthur  and  hii 
companions  fret)  a  troop  of  savages,  trained  and  commanded  by 
such  a  warrior  as  Tecumseh,  was  almost  miraculous.  It  was  no 
less  fortunate  thnt  the  detachment  bravely  moved  up  at  the  report 
of  the  fire  of  the  Indians,  and  put  them  to  immediate  flight. 
M' Arthur  encamped  Ibr  the  night  within  two  miles  of  Aux 
Canards,  and  on  the  following  morning  returned  to  the  army, 
with  Colonel  Cass  and  one  hundred  men,  by  whom  he  wa&  then 
joined. 

Between  this  time  and  the  beginning  of  August,  no  event  took 
place  which  could  afford  the  American  troops  an  opportunity  of 
displaying  their  true  character.  The  inclemency  of  the  weather 
was  very  unfavourable  to  the  operations  of  an  army.  Sudden 
transitions  from  extreme  heat  to  intense  cold,  followed  by  violent 
storms  of  rain  and  hail,  rendered  them  both  sickly  and  discon- 
tented. They  had  been  all  enamoured  of  an  expedition  which 
promised  them  so  much  honour  and  renown,  and  when  they 
landed  on  the  Canadian  shore  they  were  filled  with  such  assur- 
ances of  conquest  as  made  their  impatience  for  achievement  almost 
ungovernable.  The  tardiness,  which  now  seemed  inseparable 
firom  the  conduct  of  their  commander,  dispirited  them,  and  de- 
stroyed whatever  of  confidence  they  might  have  reposed  in  him 
before.  The  result  of  a  council  of  war,  however,  which  it  was 
found  necessary  to  convoke,  revived  all  their  desires,  and  a  spirit, 
no  less  active  than  that  with  which  they  Had  set  out,  pervadea 
the  whole  encampment.  In  two  days  more,  by  proper  exertions, 
every  arrangement  would  be  completed  for  the  investment  of  Fort 
Maiden.  At  the  end  of  that  time  the  heavy  cannon  might  be 
ready ;  if  they  should  not;,  the  council  recommended  an  attempt 
with  the  bayonet.  The  British  garrison  had  been  constantly 
deserted  by  the  embodied  Canadian  militia,  and  a  vigorous  attack 
upon  it,  however  gallant  the  defence,  could  not  but  be  attended 
with  ultimate  success.  The  deliberatidns  of  the  council  corres- 
ponded with  the  opinions  of  the  general,  and  the  day  was  ap- 
pointed on  which  the  assault  was  to  take  place.  The  cannon 
were  well  mounted,  and  embarked  on  floating  batteries;  the 
ammunition  was  already  placed  in  wagons  provided  for  its 
conveyance;  the  troops  were  animated  by  the  prospect  of  a 


96 


vanhorne's  expedition. 


lilii 


combat,  and  not  at  all  doubtful  of  a  certain  and   brilliant 

victory. 

A  company  of  volunteers  from  Ohio,  under  command  of  Cap- 
tain Brush,  had  arrived  at  the  river  Raisin,  with  a  quantity  of 
provisions  for  the  army.  Although  the  troops  were  already  sup- 
plied for  many  days,  these  provisions  might  be  necessary  in  the 
event  of  conquest.  The  distance  froui  Detroit  to  the  point  at 
which  they  had  arrived  was  thirty-six  miles,  and  their  march  was 
liable  to  be  intercepted  by  scouting  partie-  from  the  enemy. 
Major  Vanhorrjft  was  therefore  despatched,  with  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men,  to  meet  and  escort  them  to  their  destination.  He  had 
nearly  reached  Brownstown,  on  his  second  day's  march,  when 
he  was  attacked  in  front,  and  on  both  flanks,  by  a  very  superior 
force,  regulars  and  Indians.  A  warm  engagement  followed.  To 
the  Americans  the  odds  were  fearful,  but  their  resistance  was 
obstinate.  A  retreat  became  indispensable,  but  to  succeed  in  it, 
the  exercise  of  great  judgment  was  necessary.  The  volunteers 
had  confidence  in  that  of  their  commander,  and  he  brought  them 
off,  with  the  loss  of  nineteen  killed  and  missing,  and  nine 
wounded.  Among  the  former  were  Captains  M'Culloch,  Bostler, 
and  Gilcrease,  who  fought  with  that  gallantry  which  has  never 
failed  to  distinguish  the  citizens  of  the  state  to  which  they  be- 
longed ;  among  the  latter  was  Captain  Ulry,  since  dead,  whose 
conduct  was  no  less  noble  than  that  of  his  companions. 

Major  Vanhorne  had  scarcely  been  sent  firom  Sandwich,  when 
a  change  of  measures  was  adopted  by  the  general  in  opposition 
to  the  wishes  and  entreaties  of  all  his  officers.  The  enterprise 
against  Maiden  was  abandoned,  and  he  announced  his  intention 
of  evacuating  Canada  and  posting  himself  at  Fort  Detroit.  The 
promulgation  of  his  intentions  was  attended  by  an  order  to  break 
up  the  encampment  and  to  recross  the  river  in  the  night.  Conster- 
nation and  dismay  were  visible  in  the  countenance  of  every,  the 
meanest  soldier ;  their  confidence  was  destroyed,  and  they  con- 
sidered their  commander  as  timid  and  irresolute.  The  presence 
ot  their  own  officers,  on  whose  capabilities  they  implicitly  relied, 
alone  prevented  one  universal  burst  of  indignation.  Reluctantly, 
and  with  much  murmuring,  they  obeyed  the  order;  and  at  day- 
break of  the  morning  of  the  eighth  they  found  themselves  garri 


BATTLE    OF    MA.GUAGA. 


soned  at  Detroit    Here  the  intelligence  of  the  late  skirmisl;  wa» 
received. 

The  communication,  which  had  been  opened  by  the  army 
between  Raisin  and  their  present  post,  was  shut  up  by  the  savages. 
It  was  indispensably  necessary  that  it  should  be  again  opened, 
or  the  provisions  at  that  river  could  never  reach  the  garrison, 
which,  in  a  few  weeks,  would  be  in  want  of  rations. 

To  Lieutenant-Colonel  James  Miller  the  command  of  a  strong 
detachment  was  for  this  purpose  assigned.  He  immediately  took 
up  his  line  of  march  with  three  hundred  regulars  and  two  hun- 
dred militia.  The  regulars  were  of  the  4th  regiment,  which  had 
acquired  imperishable  renown,  under  the  gallant  Colonel  Boyd, 
at  Tippecanoe.  The  British  and  Indians  anticipated  the  return  of 
the  detachment  which  they  had  driven  back,  and  calculated  that  it 
would  be  largely  reinforced.  Their  own  body  was  therefore  in- 
creased to  a  number,  competent  as  they  supposed,  to  drive  off,  or 
perhaps  to  capture  them.  They  were  seven  hundred  and  fifty 
strong,*  and  mip^^it  be  reinforced  during  an  engagement  from 
Maiden,  opposite  to  which  was  the  village  of  Brownstown,  which 
they  had  taken  possession  of  a  few  days  before.  They  fortified 
the  ground  at  a  place  called  Maguaga,  nearly  four  miles  from 
Brownstown,  by  felling  trees  and  erecting  breastworks.  Behind 
these  they  intended  to  conceal  themselves  until  the  Americans 
should  attain  the  point  at  which  they  might  deal  out  to  them 
what  measure  of  destruction  they  pleased.  The  Indians  were 
commanded  by  their  great  leader,  Tecumseh ;  the  united  force  by 
M&jor  Muir  cf  the  British  army. 

On  the  9th,  the  American  troops,  though  they  proceeded  with 
great  caution,  reached  the  ground  on  which  the  enemy  desired  to 
see  them  before  they  discovered  their  ambuscade.  Captain  Snel- 
ling,  commanding  the  advance,  was  attacked  from  it,  and  sus- 
tained a  combat  until  the  main  body  came  up,  when  the  British 
and  Indians  sprang  suddenly  from  behind  the  works,  formed  a 
line  of  battle  with  great  celerity,  and  commenced  a  brisk  fire, 
accompanied  with  all  the  demonstrations  of  savage  war.  Sudden 
and  unexpected  as  was  the  attack,  the  intrepid  commander  of  the 
American  force  was  not  the  least  dismayed ;  his  troops  received 

the  shock  without  shrinking,  and  with  a  coolness  and  sagacity 
64 


28 


BATTLE    OF    MAGUAGA. 


\»  hich  are  commonly  looked  for  in  soldiers  of  long  experience,  he 
as  suddenly  drew  up  his  men,  and  after  a  rapid  fire,  charged  upon 
the  enemy  with  such  unlocked  for  firmness,  as  to  throw  them  into 
complete  disorder.  The  obstinacy  of  the  Indians,  however,  would 
not  admit  of  flight;  they  might  not  act  in  concert  with  the  British, 
and  resorting  to  their  own  kind  of  combat,  they  were  resolved 
not  to  abandon  the  contest.  But  the  British  had  now  recovered 
from  their  confusion,  and  a  scene  of  indescribable  horror  ensued. 
Five  hundred  Indians,  led  on  and  encouraged  by  the  regulars, 
(many  of  whom  were  like  themselves,  almost  naked,)  frightfully 
painted,  and  sending  forth  such  dreadful  whooping  and  yelling, 
as  might  have  appalled  almost  any  other  troops,  were  fighting  on 
every  side  of  the  American  detachment;  but  on  every  side  they 
were  gallantly  repulsed.  No  such  means  could  induce  these  brave 
men  to  forsake  their  standard,  or  to  disgrace  their  nation.  They 
saw  danger  strengthening  around  them,  they  knew  what  kind  of 
destiny  awaited  their  defeat,  and  they  were  resolutely  determined 
to  repel  the  foe,  or  to  yield  only  with  their  lives. 

Colonel  Miller  found  himself  contending  against  a  force  more 
than  one-third  superior  to  his  own,  but  he  was  animated  by  the 
same  spirit  which  was  exhibited  by  his  men.  Over  such  men, 
headed  by  such  a  commander,  the  enemy  could  not  hope  to  be 
victorious.  The  firmness  of  the  Americans  had  that  effect  upon 
the  British  and  Indians,  which  it  was  intended  by  their  savage 
noises  should  be  produced  on  them.  They  found  that  they  had 
no  terrors  to  resort  to  which  could  attain  their  end,  and  they  began 
from  necessity  to  give  ground.  The  obstinacy  of  the  detachment 
was  equal  to  the  determined  character  of  the  Indians,  and  the 
latter  became  first  intimidated. 

The  united  forces  were  driven,  inch  by  inch,  into  Browns- 
town,  and  would  have  been  beaten  into  submission,  had  not  a 
squadron  of  boats  been  ready  to  receive  them  at  that  place.  They 
made  as  rapid  a  retreat  across  the  river  as  their  oarsmen  knew 
how,  and  returned  to  Maiden  with  an  inferior  force  to  that 
with  which  they  had  left  it.  Their  loss  was,  in  regulars,  seven 
killed  and  wounded ;  of  Indians  they  left  nearly  one  hundred  on 
the  field. 
In  the  stout  contest,  which  the  detachment  kept  up  for  more 


I 

a 
e 


(V 


i^i.' 


t  «i  i 


|1     t_* 
(' 


m 


'A 


it' 


:w 


1  f  1    V 


than  tw 

thirty  a 

themsel 

and  Eni 

times  di 

latter  w< 

townun 

to  returr 

an  enga 

further. 

same  ex] 

was  that 

order. 

Captai 

•  escort,  w 

of  Angus 

cation  be 

sufficient 

with  safe 

in  conju] 

own,  proi 

The  detj 

severe  ari 

script  to 

on  consul 

to  proceei 

on  detern 

Detroit. 

evening  o 

in  the  tra 

On  the 

achieved, 

since  call 

diately  wi 

the  15th, 

to  his  insi 

sions  as  c( 

and  ammi 


m 


FORT    CHICAGO    ABANDONED. 


31 


than  two  hours,  there  were  killed  fifteen,  and  wounded  between 
thirty  and  forty.  The  officers  who  principally  distinguished 
themselves  were  Captain  Baker,  Lieutenants  Larabee  and  Peters, 
and  Ensign  Whistler.  The  first  of  them  was  shot  three  different 
times  during  the  battle;  the  second  lost  his  left  arm,  and  the  two 
latter  were  also  wounded.  Colonel  Miller  remained  at  Browns- 
town  until  the  meridian  of  the  next  day,  when  he  received  orders 
to  return  to  Detroit.  The  troops  were  exhausted  by  so  vigorous 
an  engagement,  and  they  would  have  been  unable  to  proceed 
further.  A  fresh  detachment  would  probably  be  sent  upon  the 
same  expedition;  and  Colonel  Miller,  knowing  how  necessary  it 
was  that  his  men  should  be  refreshed,  was  not  averse  from  this 
order. 

Captain  Brush  was  still  waiting  at  the  river  Raisin  for  an 
escort,  when  he  received  a  letter  from  General  Hull,  of  the  llth 
of  August,  in  the  following  words:  "The  state  of  the  communi- 
cation between  this  [Detroit]  and  the  river  Raisin  is  such,  that  a 
sufficient  detachment  cannot  be  sent  to  bring  on  the  provisions 
with  safety.  You  will  therefore  remain  at  the  river  Raisin,  and 
in  conjunction  with  the  regiment,  Le  Croix's  corps,  and  your 
own,  protect  the  provisions  and  yourselves  until  further  orders. 
The  detachment  sent  for  the  purpose  are  so  fatigued,  after  a 
severe  and  victorious  battle,  that  it  will  return  here."  In  a  post- 
script to  this  letter,  it  was  left  to  the  discretion  of  Captain  Brush, 
on  consulting  with  Colonel  Anderson,  and  the  bearer  of  the  letter, 
to  proceed  by  a  route  on  an  upper  road,  crossing  the  river  Huron; 
on  determining  on  which,  immediate  notice  was  to  be  given  at 
Detroit.  Colonels  Cass  and  M'Arthur  were  despatched,  on  the 
evening  of  the  14th,  with  three  himdred  and  fifty  men,  to  assist 
in  the  transportation  of  the  provisions  through  that  channel. 

On  the  same  day  on  which  the  victory  at  Maguaga  was 
achieved.  Captain  Heald,  the  commandant  at  Fort  Chicago, 
since  called  Fort  Dearborn,  received  orders  to  proceed  imme- 
diately with  his  command  to  Detroit,  by  land.  Accordingly  ci 
the  16th,  after  delivering  to  the  friendly  Indians,  in  confonnit} 
to  his  instructions,  all  the  goods  in  the  factory,  and  such  provi 
sions  as  could  not  be  taken  away,  and  destroying  the  surplus  arm» 
and  ammunition,  he  commenced  his  march  vidth  fifty- foui  r&gu 


32 


SURRENDER    OP    HEALD's    PARTY. 


ii 


M 


pi'  :. 


il'f 


hi 


lifl 

m 

lib 


lars  and  twelve  militia,  the  whole  amount  of  his  force,  and  was 
escorted  by  Captain  Wells,  of  Fort  Wayne,  and  a  few  friendly 
Indians  of  the  Miami  tribe,  sent  thither  for  that  purpose.  As  the 
place  would  now  be  defenseless,  the  inhabitants,  principally 
women  and  children,  were  directed  to  accompany  the  troops. 
The  little  party  had  not  proceeded"  more  than  one  mile  and  a 
half,  between  a  high  sand-bank  and  the  lake,  when  it  was  dis- 
covered that  a  number  of  hostile  Indians  were  preparing  to  attack 
them  from  behind  the  bank. 

Captain  Heald  immediately  ordered  his  company  to  ascend  it; 
and  they  had  scarcely  done  so,  when  an  action  commenced,  in 
which,  after  firing  one  round  and  charging  with  great  velocity 
upon  the  Indians,  the  latter  were  obliged  to  give  way  in  front, 
but  joining  the  party  on  the  American  flanks,  they  kept  up  their 
fire,  and  got  possession  of  all  the  horses,  provisions,  and  baggage 
of  every  description.  The  friendly  Indians  standing  aloof,  refus- 
ing to  take  part  in  the  contest,  and  apparently  awaiting  the 
issue,  that  they  might  determine  on  which  side  to  belong,  made 
it  necessary  for  Captain  Heald  to  draw  off  his  few  men,  and  take 
possession  of  a  small  elevation  in  an  open  prairie,  out  of  shot  of 
the  bank  or  any  other  cover.  Here  he  received  an  offer  of  pro- 
tection from  an  Indian  chief  on  condition  of  his  surrender,  which, 
without  much  reliance  on  its  faith,  he  accepted,  because  of  the 
great  disparity  of  force,  the  Indian  warriors  amounting  to  nearly 
five  hundred.  Their  loss  was  about  fifteen.  Of  the  Americans, 
twenty-six  regulars  and  all  the  militia  were  killed :  among  them, 
Captain  Wells  and  Ensign  George  Roman,  both  officers  of  great 
gallantry.  Two  women  and  twelve  children  were  also  killed. 
The  Indians  had  it  now  in  their  power  to  move  to  any  part  of  the 
country  through  which  the  communication  had  been  formed 
between  the  river  Raisin  and  Detroit,  and  numbers  of  them  were 
accordingly  posted  at  several  points  on  that  road,  whilst  a  stronger 
party  proceeded  against  Fort  Wayne.  Their  absence  was  taken 
advantage  of  by  Captain  Heald,  whom  they  Loi  -  taken  to  the  mouth 
of  St.  Josephs,  and  who  now,  with  his  lady,  procured  a  convey- 
ance to  Michilimackinac,  Avhere  he  was  received  politely  by  the 
commandant,  Captain  Roberts.  Mrs.  Heald  was  wounded  by  six 
nhot — the  captain  by  two. 


GENERAL  BROCK  S  SUMMONS. 


33 


Any  attempt  to  accelerate  the  transportation  of  the  provisions 
would  now  be  useless,  for  on  the  13th  the  British  had  taken  a 
position  opposite  Detroit.  Thev  were  occupied  in  throwing  up 
breastworks  during  that  and  the  two  following  days,  at  the  end 
of  which  time  they  had  completed  a  battery  of  two  eighteen 
pounders  and  an  eight  inch  howitzer,  without  any  interruption 
from  the  American  fort.  Major  Denny,  of  the  volunteers,  who 
had  been  left  in  garrison  at  Sandwich  with  two  hundred  and  fifty 
infantry,  and  a  corps  of  artillerists,  was  obliged  on  their  approach 
to  make  his  retreat  across  the  river.  This  he  effected  in  good 
order. 

On  the  15th  a  flag  of  truce  was  received  from  the  British,  with 
the  following  summons:  "  Sir — The  force  at  my  disposal  author- 
izes me  to  require  of  you  the  surrender  of  Fort  Detroit.  It  is  far 
from  my  inclination  to  join  in  a  war  of  extermination,  but  you 
must  be  aware  that  the  numerous  body  of  Indians,  who  have 
attached  themselves  to  my  troops,  will  be  beyond  my  control  the 
moment  the  contest  commences.  You  will  nnd  me  disposed  to 
enter  into  such  conditions  as  will  satisfy  the  most  scrupulous 
sense  of  honour.  Lieutenant-Colonel  M'Donnell  and  Major  Glegg 
are  fully  authorized  to  conclude  any  arrangement  that  may  lead 
to  prevent  the  unnecessary  effusion  of  blood.  I  have  the  honour 
to  be,  &o.  ISAAC  BROCK,  Maj.  Gen. 

"  His  Ex.  Brig.  Gen.  Hull,  com'g  at  Fort  Detroit." 

To  this  summons  it  was  returned  for  answer,  that  the  "town 
and  fort  would  be  defended  to  the  last  extremity."  The  British 
then  opened  their  batteries  upon  the  town,  and  continued  to  throw 
their  shells  into  the  ijrt  from  four  o'clock  until  midnight.  The 
fire  was  returned  until  dark  with  little  effect.  At  daylight  the 
next  morning  the  firing  again  commenced,  v/hilst  the  British, 
under  the  protection  of  their  ships,  were  landing  their  forces  at 
Spring  Wells.  At  about  ten  o'clock  they  proceeded  in  a  close 
column,  twelve  in  front,  along  the  bank  of  the  river  towards  the 
fort. 

From  Fort  Detroit  the  enemy  could  not  have  been  prevented 
from  landing,  had  he  attempted  it,  even  in  its  more  immediate 
vicinity.  Its  situation  had  been  originally  chosen  without  skill ; 
the  town  actually  standing  between  it  and  the  river,  and  the  fool 


34 


SURRENDER  OF  FORT  DETROIT. 


i 


of  the  scarp  being  more  than  two  hundred  rods  from  it.  On  the 
evening  of  the  15th  it  was,  therefore,  suggested  to  General  Hull 
that  the  British  should  be  opposed  on  the  margin  of  the  river, 
that  there  was  a  position  at  that  point  whence  they  could  be  de- 
stroyed, with  the  utmost  certainty,  as  fast  as  they  could  land ;  and 
that  a  strong  battery,  well  manned  there,  would  be  a  better  secu- 
rity than  the  Fort  of  Detroit. 

The  suggestions  of  General  Hull's  officers  were  too  often  dis- 
regarded.  The  enemy  had  now  landed,  and  no  obstruction  could 
prevent  his  approach  until  he  should  be  either  in  the  rear  of  thd 
town  or  of  the  tort,  when  all  the  strength  of  ihe  latter  might  be 
successfully  brought  against  him. 

The  4th  regiment  was  stationed  within  the  fort;  the  Ohio 
volunteers,  and  part  of  the  Michigan  militia,  behind  pickets,  from 
which  the  enemy's  whole  flank  could  be  annoyed ;  the  residue  of 
the  militia  were  in  the  town  to  resist  the  Indians,  and  two  twenty- 
four  pounders,  loaded  with  grape  shot,  were  posted  on  an  emi- 
nence from  which  they  could  sweep  the  advancing  column.   The 
superiority  of  position  was  apparent  on  the  side  of  the  Americans, 
and  their  force  at  least  equal  to  that  of  the  enemy.     They  had 
four  hundred  rounds  of  twenty-four  pound  shot,  already  fixed, 
and  about  one  hundred  thousand  cartridges  made.     Their  provi- 
sions were  sufficient  for  fifteen  days,  and  every  man  of  them 
awaited  the  approach  of  the  enemy  with  a  full  and  eager  expecta- 
tion of  victory.     The  head  of  the  column  had  advanced  within 
five  hundred  yards  of  the  American  line,  when  General  Huil 
ordered  the  troops  to  retreat  to  the  fort,  and  not  by  any  means  to 
open  the  twenty-four  pounders  upon  the  enemy.     The  feelings 
of  the  soldiers  were  not  now  to  be  restrained,  as  they  had  been  a 
few  days  before  at  Sandwich.     Indignation  at  the  conduct,  and 
contempt  for  the  capacity  of  the  commanding  general,  could  not 
longer  be  disguised,  and  they  loudly  uttered  their  discontent. 
They  entered  the  fort,  however,  which,  though  crowded  so  that 
any  movement  was  impracticable,  was  scarcely  capable  of  con- 
taining them.     Here  they  were  directed  to  stack  their  arms,  and 
they  had  the  mortificaiion  to  see  the  flag  of  tjieir  country  struck 
to  the  invaders,  and  the  fort  surrendered,  without  the  discharge 
of  a  single  gun.     A  white  flag  was  suspended  froni  its  walls,  and 


::| 


such  wa 
British  ( 
instance 
of  a  mil; 
and  thei 
brave  tn 
same  en 
and  lay 
other  th 
themseb 
Note 
absent  i 
Raisin,  i 
and  gari 
gan,  we 
general  i 
sand  fiv< 
of  twent 
part  of  -^ 
tionary 
which  h 
received 
within  8 
tioned,  i 
nearer  aj 
the  best 
which  c< 
ing,  or  hi 
attacked 
troops  hi 
not  imag 
rupted  si 
ing  dista 
the  last  i 
son  was  i 
it.  The 
to  the  fol 
for  the  si 


li 


SURRENDER    OF    FORT    I)     TROIT. 


t7 


such  was  the  astonishment,  even  of  the  enemy's  troops,  t'  ft 
British  officer  rode  up  to  ascertain  its  meaning.  It  waH  ih<  rst 
instance,  perhaps,  which  they  had  ever  known,  of  the  suri  ler 
of  a  mihtary  post  without  a  previous  arrangement  of  the  terms 
and  they  had  little  expectation  of  so  tame  a  submission.  Those 
brave  troops,  who  had  but  eight  days  before  beaten  and  put  this 
same  enemy  to  flight,  were  now  obliged  to  march  out  in  review, 
and  lay  down  their  arms  to  an  inferior  force,  who  had  done  no 
other  thing  towards  the  capture  of  the  garrison  than  showing 
themselves  before  it. 

Not  only  the  heroes  of  Brownstown,  but  the  detachments  then 
absent  from  the  fort,  the  volunteers  and  all  the  provisions  at 
Raisin,  and  those  of  no  inconsiderable  amount,  the  fortified  posts 
and  garrisons,  and  the  whole  territory  and  inhabitants  of  Michi- 
gan, were  delivered  over  by  capitulation  to  the  commanding 
general  of  the  British  forces.  Forty  barrels  of  powder,  two  thou- 
sand five  hundred  stand  of  arras,  and  an  armament,  (consisting 
of  twenty-five  iron,  and  eight  brass  pieces  of  ordnance,)  the  greater 
part  of  which  had  been  captured  from  the  British  in  the  revolu- 
tionary war,  were  surrendered  with  them.  The  detachment 
which  had  been  sent  out  under  Colonels  Cass  and  M' Arthur,  had 
received  orders  the  night  before  to  return ;  but  when  they  arrived 
within  sight  of  Detroit,  before  which  the  enemy  was  already  star 
tioned,  it  became  necessary  to  use  excessive  caution  in  their 
nearer  approach.  They  were  accidentally  thrown  into  a  situation, 
the  best  for  annoying  and  cutting  off  the  retreat  of  the  enemy, 
which  could  possibly  be  selected ;  and  if  they  had  heard  any  fir- 
ing, or  had  seen  any  indication  of  an  engagement,  they  might  have 
attacked  the  rear  of  the  column,  and  placed  the  enemy's  raw 
troops  between  their  own  fire  and  that  of  the  fort.  They  could 
not  imagine  what  measures  were  in  operation,  when  an  uninter- 
rupted silence  prevailed  between  two  hostile  armies  within  fight- 
ing distance  of  each  other;  the  arrangement  for  a  surrender  was 
the  last  among  their  surmises,  because  they  knew  that  the  garri- 
son was  superior  to  any  force  which  could  then  be  brought  against 
it.  Their  doubts  were  relieved  by  a  message  firom  General  Hull 
to  the  following  effect :  "  I  have  signed  articles  of  capitulation 
for  the  surrender  of  this  garrison,  in  which  you  and  your  detach 


J  :':i 


88 


REMARKS    ON    THE    SURRENDER. 


IJ      :'      '! 


ment  are  prisoners  of  war.     Such  part  of  the  Ohio  militia  as 
have  not  joined  the  army,  will  he  permitted  to  return  to  tbeii 
homes  on  condition  that  they  will  not  serve  during  the  war. 
Their  arms,  however,  will  be  given  up,  if  belonging  to  the  public." 
This  despatch  was  forwarded  by  Colonel  M'Arthur  to  Captain 
Brush.    The  volunteers  and  militia  returned  to  their  respective 
homes,  but  General  Hull  and  the  4th  regiment,  and  part  of  the 
1st,  were  taken  to  Montreal,  whence  they  were  destined  for  Qu^ 
bee.     General  Brock  issued  his  proclamation  announcing  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Michigan  the  cession  of  that  territory  to  the  arms 
of  his  Britannic  majesty,  and  establishing  regulations  for  its  civil 
government.     The  capitulation  of  an  immense  territory,  and  the 
surrender  of  the  whole  north-western  army,  which  was  composed 
of  men  feelingly  alive  to  the  honour  of  their  country,  ambitious 
of  distinguishing  themselves  in  arms,  and  most  of  whom  had  left 
their  families  and  their  friends  to  encounter  the  fatigues  and  dan- 
gers of  a  long  campaign,  excited  a  sensation  among  the  people 
from  one  extremity  of  the  country  to  tae  other,  not  less  indignant 
than  that  which  was  felt  by  the  troops  themselves.     When 
General  Brock  said  that'  the  force  at  his  disposal  authorized  him 
to  require  the  surrender,  he  must  have  had  a  very  exalted  opinion 
of  the  prowess  of  his  own  soldiers,  or  a  very  mistaken  one  of  the 
ability  of  those  which  were  coihmanded  by  the  American  gene- 
ral.    The  force  at  his  disposal  was  inferior  to  the  garrison  of 
Detroit,  even  in  the  absence  of  the  detachments.     In  a  letter  to 
Sir  George  Prevost,  he  states  the  American  force  at  two  thousand 
five  hundred — which,  however,  could  not  be  correct,  as  it  had 
met  with  losses  in  the  different  skirmishes — and  his  own  at  six 
hundred  white  troops,  and  six  hundred  Indians.     By  the  return 
of  his  quartermaster-general,  it  consisted  of — 

British  regulars,  infantry  and  artillery,  .  .  .  382 
Indians,  principally  Chippewas,  Hurons  and  Pottawatamies,  650 
Militia,  in  regular  uniforms, 362 

Total,  1394 

Of  these,  few  of  the  Indians  were  visible,  as  they  generally 
skulked  in  the  woods,  and  did  not  advance  upon  the  fort  with  the 
British  column.     The  force  of  General  Hull's  army,  by  the  morn- 


GENERAL    HULL    S    DESPATCH. 


89 


ing  report,  was  one  thousand  and  sixty,  exclusive  of  the  detach 
ment  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  men,  and  three  hundred  Michi 
gan  militia,  then  out  on  duty,  which  would  have  made  seventeeu 
hundred  and  ten ;  superior  to  the  enemy  by  three  hundred  and 
sixteen.  On  the  arrival  of  Captain  Brush  from  Raisin,  his  total 
force  would  have  amounted  to  more  than  eighteen  hundred  and 
sixty. 

Had  the  troops  remained  at  Sandwich  till  the  provisions  were 
brought  on,  the  surrender  of  this  force  to  a  body  of  troops  inferior 
in  quality  as  well  as  number,  would  have  been  prevented.  The 
British  did  not  appear  at  that  place  until  they  had  heard  of  its 
evacuation,  they  were  induced  to  follow  up  the  American  army, 
because  of  its  abrupt  departure  from  the  Canadian  shore,  and  it 
has  been  matter  of  conjecture  whether  General  Hull's  conduct 
was  the  result  of  cowardice,  mental  imbecility  and  moral  depra- 
vity, or  corrupt  perfidy.  In  his  official  despatches  to  the  govern- 
ment he  accounted  for  it  by  saying,  "  the  surrender  of  Michili- 
mackinac  opened  the  northern  hive  of  Indians,  and  they  were 
swarming  down  in  every  direction.  Reinforcements  from  Niagara 
had  arrived  at  Amherstburg  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Proctor.  The  desertion  of  the  militia  ceased.  Besides  the  rein- 
forcements that  came  by  water,  I  received  information  of  a  very  con- 
siderable force  under  the  command  of  Major  Chambers,  on  the  river 
Le  Tranche,  with  four  field-pieces,  and  collecting  the  militia  on 
his  route,  evidently  destined  for  Amherstburg,  and  in  addition  to 
this  combination  and  increase  of  force,  contrary  to  all  expectations 
the  Wyandots,  Chippewas  and  other  tribes  with  whom  I  had  the 
most  friendly  intercourse,  at  once  passed  over  to  Amherstburg 
and  accepted  the  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife.  There  being 
now  a  vast  number  of  Indians  at  the  British  post,  they  were  sent 
to  the  river  Huron,  Brownstown,  and  Maguaga,  to  intercept  my 
communication. 

"  Under  this  sudden  and  unexpected  change  of  things,  and 
having  received  an  express  from  General  Hall  commanding  op- 
posite the  British  shore  on  the  Niagara  river,  by  which  it  appeared 
that  there  was  no  prospect  of  any  co-operation  from  that  quarter, 
and  the  two  senior  officers  of  the  artillery  having  stated  to  me  an 
opinion  that  it  would  be  extremely  difficult  if  not  impossible  to 


40 


oenehal  hull's  despatch. 


iiW,, 


hum 


1-^ 


IJ.i! 


pass  the  Turkey  river  and  the  river  Aux  Canards  with  twenty, 
four-pounders,  and  that  they  could  not  be  transported  by  water, 
as  the  Queen  Charlotte,  which  carries  eighteen  twenty-four- 
pounders,  lay  in  the  river  Detroit  above  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Aux  Canards,  and  as  it  appeared  indispensably  necessary  to  open 
the  communication  to  the  river  Raisin  and  the  Miami,  I  found 
myself  compelled  to  suspend  the  operations  against  Amherstburg 
and  concentrate  the  main  force  of  the  army  at  Detroit,  fully  in- 
tending at  that  time,  after  the  communication  was  opened,  to 
recross  the  river  and  pursue  the  object  at  Amherstburg,  and 
strongly  desirous  of  continuing  protection  to  a  very  large  number 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Upper  Canada  who  had  voluntarily  accepted 
it  under  my  proclamation ;  I  established  a  fortress  on  the  banks 
of  the  river  a  little  below  Detroit,  calculated  for  a  garrison  of  three 
hundred  men.  On  the  evening  of  the  7th  and  morning  of  the 
8th  instant,  the  army,  excepting  the  garrison  of  two  hundred  and 
fifty  infantry  and  a  corps  of  artillerists,  all  under  the  command 
of  Major  Denny  of  the  Ohio  volunteers,  rscrossed  the  river  and 
encamped  at  Detroit." 

But  the  greater  part  of  the  statement  contained  in  his  de- 
spatches was  contradicted  by  his  officers  of  the  highest  grades, 
and  particularly  that  in  which,  after  describing  the  approach  of 
the  enemy,  he  continued — 

"  It  now  became  necessary  eitlier  to  fight  the  enemy  in  the 
field,  collect  the  whole  force  in  the  fort,  or  propose  terms  of  capitu- 
lation. I  could  not  have  carried  into  the  field  more  than  six 
hundred  men,  and  left  any  adequate  force  in  the  fort.  There 
were  landed  at  that  time  of  the  enemy  a  regular  force  of  much 
more  than  that  number,  and  twice  the  number  of  Indians.  Con- 
sidering this  great  inequality  of  force,  I  did  not  think  it  expedient 
to  adopt  the  first  measure.  The  second  must  have  been  attended 
with  a  great  sacrifice  of  blood,  and  no  possible  advantage,  because 
the  contest  could  not  have  been  sustained  for  more  than  a  day 
for  the  want  of  powder,  and  but  a  very  few  days  for  the  want  of 
provisions.  In  addition  to  this.  Colonels  M' Arthur  and  Cass 
would  have  been  in  a  most  hazardous  situation.  I  feared  nothing 
Imt  the  last  alternative.    I  have  dared  to  adopt  it.    I  well  know 


GENERAL    HULL    PUNISHED. 


41 


the  high  responsibility  of  the  measure,  and  I  take  the  whole  of  it 
on  myself" 

With  this  account  the  government  were  not  satisfied ;  nor  was 
the  court-martial  before  whom,  on  being  exchanged  for  thirty 
British  prisoners,  he  was  tried. 

After  an  investigation  of  all  the  facts,  that  court  declined  mak- 
ing a  decision  on  the  charge  of  treason,  which  was  alleged  against 
him,  but  said  that  they  did  not  believe,  from  any  thing  which 
had  come  before  them,  t^at  he  had  been  guilty  of  that  act.  On 
the  second  charge,  for  cowardice — and  the  third,  for  neglect  of 
duty  and  unofficerlike  conduct,  they  condemned  him.  A  sen- 
tence of  death  was  passed  upon  him;  but  in  consideration  of  his 
revolutionary  services  and  his  advanced  age,  he  was  earnestly 
recommended  to  the  mercy  of  the  president,  who  remitted  the 
sentence,  but  directed  a  general  order  to  be  issued,  by  which  his 
name  was  struck  from  the  rolls  of  the  army. 

Could  that  genius  and  enterprise,  which  distinguished  the  other 
ofiicers  of  the  north-western  army,  have  been  imparted  to  its 
commander,  a  more  glorious  issue  to  the  American  arms  must 
have  been  the  necessary  result.  The  conduct  of  the  several  de- 
tachments, and  the  ample  success  of  each  excursion,  gave  an 
almost  incontestible  proof  that  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war- 
fare would  have  obtained  complete  victory.  Had  the  effect  of 
these  successes  been  followed  up  by  a  rapid  movement  of  the 
army  itself,  and  proper  advantages  been  taken  of  the  desertions 
from  the  enemy's  garrison,  the  whole  country  would  have  been 
subjugated,  or  laid  open  to  future  expeditions,  and  the  object  of 
the  present  would  doubtless  have  been  achieved.  Weakness  and 
imbecility,  however,  supplied  the  place  of  military  talent,  and 
the  result  was  different  from  that  which  was  looked  to  by  the 
army  and  the  nation. 


42 


NAVAL    CAMPAIGN     OF     1812. 


CHAPTER  II. 

l^abal  Campaign  of  OSia. 


i 


ip 


P 
S 


Contemporaneous  with  the  disaster  at 
Detroit  was  a  succession  of  brilliant  achieve- 
ments on  the  ocean,  paralleled  perhaps,  but 
never  yet  surpassed;  the  intelligence  of 
;  which  entirely  dispelled  the  temporary 
gloom  which  pervaded  the  minds,  and  filled 
with  grief  the  hearts  of  the  American  people.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  hostilities,  such  of  the  United  States  vessels  of  war  whose 
equipments  were  entire,  had  orders  to  proceed  immediately  to  sea, 
A  squadron  of  three  frigates,  one  brig,  and  one  sloop  of  war,  sailed 
on  the  21st  of  June  from  New  York,  in  quest  of  several  of  the 
enemy's  frigates,  known  to  be  at  that  time  cruising  off  the  en- 
trance to  that  harbour.  On  the  3d  of  July,  the  frigate  Essex, 
Captain  Porter,  went  to  sea  from  the  same  port;  and  the  Consti- 
tution, Captain  Hull,  sailed  from  the  Chesapeake  bay  on  the  12th. 
The  brigs  Nautilus,  Viper,  and  Vixen,  were  at  the  same  time 
cruising  off  the  coast,  and  the  sloop  of  war  Wasp  was  at  sea,  on 
her  return  from  France. 
On  the  morning  of  the  17th,  an  English  squadron,  consisting 


ESCAPE    OF    THE    CONSTITUTION. 


48 


Eicape  of  the  ConitUutlon. 


■)£  the  Africa,  a  ship  of  the  line,  the  frigates  Shannon,  Guerriere, 
Belvidere,  and  iEolus,  and  a  brig  and  schooner,  the  nearest  of  the 
frigates  being  within  gun-shot,  gave  chase  to  the  Constitution. 
A  calm  prevailing  during  the  whole  day,  towing  and  warping 
were  unremittingly  resorted  to ;  but  the  enemy,  by  attaching  all 
the  boats  of  the  squadron  to  two  of  the  frigates,  were  gaining  so 
much  upon  the  Constitution,  as  to  bring  their  bow  guns  to  bear 
upon  her,  though  they  received  several  discharges  from  her  stem 
chasers.  The  chase  continued  all  night.  On  the  following 
morning  (18th)  at  daylight,  the  Constitution,  taking  advantage 
of  a  fresh  breeze  which  just  then  sprang  up,  spread  all  her  can- 
vass, outsailed,  and  escaped  from  her  pursuers,  and  arrived  at 
Boston  on  the  evening  of  the  26th — whence  she  sailed  upon  a 
cruise  on  the  2d  of  August.  The  chase  continued  for  sixty  hours ; 
the  ship's  crew  were  all  that  time  at  their  stations,  and  the  escape 
of  the  frigate  from  seven  sail,  two  of  which  were  warped  up  by 
more  than  six  times  the  number  of  men  and  boats  employed  by 
the  Constitution,  has  been  considered  as  an  incontestible  proof 

of  the  superior  skill  and  seamanship  of  her  commander.    Thrt 
66 


44 


ESSEX    AND    ALERT. 


' .  i 


officers  of  the  pursuing  ships,  one  of  whom  was  afterwards  cap- 
tured by  Captain  Hull,  have  spoken  of  it  in  terms  of  the  highest 
admiration. 

Congress  having  authorized  the  president  to  issue  letters  of 
marque  and  reprisals,  the  ocean  vras  very  soon  covered  with  pri- 
vate armed  ships  from  almost  every  port  in  the  United  States. 
One  of  the  first  which  sailed  was  the  schooner  Atlas,  commanded 
by  Captain  David  Moffat;  who,  on  the  3d  of  August,  fell  in  with 
two  armed  ships  of  the  enemy,  and  at  11  a.  m.  engaged  them 
both.  The  action  commenced  by  a  broadside  of  musketry  from 
the  Atlas,  and  was  continued  without  intermission  until  noon, 
when  one  of  the  enemy's  ships  struck  her  colours.  The  whole 
fire  of  the  Atlas  was  then  brought  iagainst  the  largest  ship,  when 
that  which  had  already  struck  again  opened  her  broadside.  A 
few  shot  firom  the  Atlas,  however,  drove  every  man  from  her 
decks,  and  compelled  her  a  second  time  to  yield.  At  twenty 
minutes,  p.  m.,  the  largest  ship  struck  also,  and  on  taking  pos- 
session of  them,  Captain  Moffat  found  them  to  be  the  ship  Pur- 
suit, of  four  hundred  and  fifty  tons,  sixteen  guns,  eighteens  and 
nines,  and  thirty-five  men;  and  the  ship  Planter,  of  twelve  guns, 
twelve-pounders,  and  fifteen  men.  During  the  action  the  Atlas 
was  very  much  disabled  in  her  rigging,  and  had  two  men  killed 
and  five  wounded.  Among  the  latter,  a  seaman  of  the  name  of 
William  Curl,  who  behaved  with  great  coolness,  and  refused  to 
quit  his  quarters,  though  he  had  received  a  wound  which  after- 
wards proved  to  be  mortal.  The  three  vessels  were  making  a 
port,  when  a  British  frigate  hove  in  sight  and  recaptured  the 
Planter ;  but  the  Atlas,  and  her  largest  prize,  arrived  safely  in  the 
Delaware. 

On  the  13th  of  August  the  frigate  Essex,  which  had  now  been 
cruising  forty  days,  fell  in  with  the  British  sloop  of  war  Alert, 
Captain  T.  L.  P.  Langhome,  of  twenty  guns,  and  one  hundred 
and  thirty  men ;  who  immediately  ran  down  upon  the  frigate's 
weather  quarter,  gave  three  cheers,  commenced  an  action,  and 
after  eight  minutes  firing,  struck  her  colours,  with  seven  feet 
water  in  her  hold,  her  hull  cut  to  pieces,  and  three  of  her  men 
wounded.  The  officers  and  crew  of  the  Essex,  which  received 
aol  the  slightest  injury,  were  highly  amused  at  the  boldness  of 


CRiriSE    OF    THE    ESSEX. 


43 


the  enemy,  who  must  have  calculated  on  an  easy  conquest  over 
the  American  frigate.  A  few  broadsides,  however,  deliberately 
fired  into  the  sloop  of  war,  brought  down  her  colours ;  and  aftei 
concluding  an  arrangement  with  Captain  L?nghorne  to  thai 
effect,  Captain  Porter  dismantled  her  of  her  armament,  and  put- 
ting all  his  prisoners,  being  about  five  hundred,  on  board,  sent 
her  under  the  command  of  one  of  his  officers,  Lieutenant  J.  P. 
Wilmer,  as  a  cartel  to  St.  Johns,  in  Newfoundland ;  whence  she 
was  instructed  to  sail  for  New  York  with  whatever  American 
prisoners  might  be  given  in  exchange. 

About  seventeen  days  after,  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  30th, 
Captain  Porter  discovered,  and  stood  under  easy  sail,  for  one  of 
the  enemy's  frigates,  which  was  at  the  same  time  standing  for 
him.  The  Essex  was  cleared,  and  the  crew  anxious  for  an  en- 
gagement. Being  apprehensive  that  the  enemy  might  not  find 
him  in  the  night,  Captain  Porter  hoisted  a  light  at  the  masthead, 
and  at  nine  o'clock  discovered  a  signal  of  two  flashes  and  a  blue- 
light,  at  about  four  miles  distance.  The  Essex  stood  on  for  the 
point  at  which  this  signal  was  given  until  midnight,  but  not  get- 
ting a  sight  of  the  enemy  he  hove  to,  under  an  expectation  that 
the  hostile  ship  would  do  the  same,  until  morning.  To  the  great 
surprise  of  Captain  Porter,  and  the  mortification  of  his  crew,  at 
daylight  the  enemy  was  not  to  be  seen. 

On  the  4th  of  September,  in  attempting  to  get  into  New  York, 
the  Essex  was  intercepted  and  chased  by  two  large  ships  of  war, 
who  gained  her  wake  and  came  up  with  great  fleetness ;  but  she 
escaped  from  them  by  manoeuvering  in  the  night,  having  first 
hoisted  American  colours  and  fired  a  gun  to  windward.  One  of 
the  ships  being  considerably  to  windward  of  the  other,  and  sbov:. 
five  miles  astern  of  the  Essex,  it  was  determined  to  heave  about 
as  soon  as  it  became  dark,  and  in  the  event  of  not  being  able  to 
pass,  to  fire  a  broadside  into  her  and  lay  her  on  board.  The 
wind  heading  the  Essex  off,  however,  at  thirty  minutes  after 
eight  she  bore  away,  and  being  cut  off  from  New  York,  effected 
her  escape  into  the  bay  of  Delaware,  where  she  arrived  on  the  7th 
without  the  loss  of  a  man — ^having  made  nine  captures  in  addi- 
tion to  the  Alert.   The  Alert  returned  from  St.  Johns,  and  arrived 


46 


CONSTITUTION    AND    GUERRIERE. 


T 


at  New  Vork  on  the  16th  of  September,  with  two  hundred  and 
seventy  American  prisoners. 

On  the  28th  of  August  the  Constitution  returned  to  Boston 
from  a  cruise  commenced  upon  the  second  of  that  month,  and 
signalized  by  a  brilliant  and  victorious  contest  with  a  British  ship 
of  war,  the  commander  of  which  had  repeatedly  threatened  the 
capture  of  any  one  of  the  American  frigates  which  it  might  be 
his  fortune  to  encounter.  The  frigate  Guerriere  had  been  sailing 
off  the  coast  for  several  months  previous  to  the  declaration  of 
war,  and  had  frequently  shown  herself  at  the  entrances  of  the 
different  ports,  with  her  name  written  in  large  characters  upor  a 
flag  at  one  of  her  mastheads,  and  at  another  the  words  "not  the  Little 
BeW — ^in  allusion  to  an  affair  which  had  taken  place  between  a 
sloop  of  war  of  that  name  and  the  United  States  frigate  President, 
in  which  the  latter  ship  retorted  an  assault  committed  on  her,  in 
time  of  peace,  by  discharging  two  broadsides  at,  and  nearly  sink- 
ing, the  sloop  of  war.*    Captain  Hull  had  been  informed  of  the 


r:    i 


*  On  the  16th  of  May,  the  Little  Belt,  commanded  by  Captain  Bingham,  and  mount- 
ing eighteen  guns,  was  hailed  by  the  President,  to  know  what  ship  she  was.  The 
captain  of  the  Little  Belt  repeated  the  question,  without  answering  it,  and  Commodore 
Rodgers  again  asked,  "  What  ship  is  thati"  This  demand  was  followed  by  a  shot  from 
the  Little  Belt.  The  President  returned  it,  and  received  a  broadside  from  her.  Com- 
modore Rodgers  then  gave  a  general  order  to  fire,  and  having  silenced  the  other, 
again  inquired  what  ship  she  was.  He  now  received  an  answer  which  informed  him 
of  the  character  of  the  vessel,  and  he  lay  to,  in  order  to  assist  her  in  repairing  hei 
damages. 

"This  occurrence,"  says  Mr.  Cooper,  in  his  Naval  History,  «•  gave  rise  to  much  dis- 
cussion in  America,  and  widened  the  breach  which  already  existed  between  the 
American  and  English  nations.  The  account  given  by  Captain  Bingham  differed  essen' 
tially  from  that  of  Commodore  Rodgers,  and  official  investigations  were  made  on  both 
■ides.  On  that  of  the  Americans,  a  formal  court  of  inquiry  was  held,  and  every  sea  offi- 
cer in  the  ship  was  examined,  as  well  as  a  great  many  of  the  petty  officers.  The  testi- 
mony was  very  clear,  and  it  was  in  a  great  measure  free  from  the  discrepancies  that 
usually  distinguish  the  accounts  of  battles,  whether  by  sea  or  land.  The  fact  that  the 
Little  Belt  fired  the  first  gun,  was  established  by  the  oath  of  the  officer  who  ordered  the 
gun  fired  in  return.  This  gentleman  distinctly  testified  that  he  gave  the  command, 
under  a  standing  order  of  the  ship,  and  in  consequence  of  having  seen  the  flash  and 
heard  the  report  of  the  Little  Belt's  gun.  He  not  only  testified  that  he  heard  the  report 
of  the  gun,  but  that  he  also  heard  the  noise  made  by  the  shot  which  had  entered  the 
mast.  Other  officers  and  men  corroborated  this  account,  and  in  a  way  to  render  their 
evidence  not  only  consistent  with  itself,  but  with  probability.  As  the  President  was 
Tery  fully  officered,  the  number  and  respectability  of  the  witnesses  put  at  rest  all  cavil, 
ling  about  the  facts." 


i>:  >i. 


CONSTITUTION    AND    GUERRIERE. 


47 


./ 


X 


Coiiiiiiodore  Hull, 


appearance  of  a  single  ship  of  war,  to  the  eastward  of  the  coast, 
and  immediately  stood  in  that  direction.  Between  the  2d  and 
the  19th  of  August,  he  made  several  captures  of  merchantmen, 
and  recaptured  an  American  brig  which  had  been  taken  by  the 
Avenger.  On  that  day,  in  lat.  41  deg.  42  min.  N.,  and  long.  55 
deg.  83  min.  W.,  he  discovered  a  large  frigate  of  the  enemy,  set 
all  sail  in  chase,  and  came  up  with  and  captured  her  after  a 
spirited  engagement  of  forty-five  minutes.  She  proved  to  be  the 
frigate  Guerriere,  of  thirty-eight  guns,  but  carrying  forty-nine, 
and  commanded  by  Captain  James  R.  Dacres.  She  was  dis- 
covered at  about  two,  p.  m.  and  at  four,  the  Constitution  was 
closing  fast  upon  her.  At  ten  minutes  past  four  the  enemy  hoisted 
English  colours,  and  commenced  the  action  by  firing  several 
guns.  ITie  Constitution's  fire  was  reserved  until  she  could  be 
put  in  suuh  a  position  that  every  shot  should  take  effect;  and  the 
sailing-master,  Aylwin,  brought  her  so  skilfully  into  action,  that 
Captain  Hull's  views  were  completely  accomplished.  But  the 
enemy  not  comprehending  them,  suspected  the  Americans  of 


It 

ill  iff 


i 


1  ■ 

"  t  1 

ir- 

4  ^ 

f 

;  V, . 

■  •  i 

F' 

::j. 

f! 

■     ;l. 

!;•• 
1 

If 

■■-   -v. 

','h 

l" 

iff 

^ii 

1 

L. 

4S 


CONSTITUTION    AND    GUERRIERE. 


timidity,  or  of  ignorance  i»  the  art  of  gunnery,  and  discharged  his 
broadsides  with  an  assurance  of  crippUng  his  antagonist  before  he 
might  open  his  battery.    The  crew  of  the  Constitution  anxiously 
awaiting  the  orders  of  their  commander  to  fire  on  the  foe,  were 
themselves  filled  with  surprise  at  his  receiving  so  many  rounds 
without  yet  returning  them.     Captain  Hull,  at  his  station  how- 
ever, was  with  great  judgment  reconnoitering  the  enemy  with  his 
glass;  until  finding  that  the  ability  and  excellent  seamanship  of 
his  sailmg-master,  brought  up  the  ship  to  the  exact  station  upon 
the  enemy's  beam  from  which  he  knew  he  could  effectually  annoy 
him,  he  issued  his  orders  to  fire  broadside  after  broadside  with  the 
greatest  possible  rapidity.    His  crew,  now  perfectly  entering  into 
a  plan  which  none  but  an.  able  seaman  could  have  conceived, 
executed  his  commands  with  as  much  alacrity  as  was  required, 
and  after  fifteen  minutes  close  and  constant  cannonading,  the 
enemy's  mizzen-mast  having  gone  over  his  starboard  quarter,  the 
Constitution  was  placed  upon  his  larboard  bow,  in  a  raking  posi- 
tion, from  which  slie  swept  the  decks  of  the  Guerriere  with  grape 
and  musketry.     The  enemy's  ship  became  now  unmanageable, 
and  the  Constitution  prepared  to  lay  her  on  board.     Lieutenant 
Bush  attempted  to  throw  his  marines  on  her  deck,  when  he  was 
killed  by  a  musket-ball,  and  the  Guerriere,  at  the  same  moment, 
getting  clear  of  the  Constitution,  shot  ahead;  but  it  being  impos 
sible  to  get  her  before  the  wind,  she  was  exposed  to  every  raking 
fire  of  her  opponent.     Her  fore  and  mainmasts  went  over  the 
side;  her  hull  was  cut  almost  to  pieces,  and  at  twenty  minutes 
past  five  she  surrendered.  The  execution  of  the  Constitution's  fire 
was  dreadfully  severe,  and  the  management  of  the  vessel  reflected 
great  credit  on  her  officer.     Her  loss  was  but  seven  killed,  and 
seven  wounded.    The  Guerriere's  loss  was  about  one  hundred 
and  two— in  wounded  sixty-two,  in  killed  and  missing  upwards 
of  forty. 

The  Constitution  had  some  spars  and  much  of  her  rigging  shot 
away ;  after  repairing  which,  and  getting  out  the  prisoners,  she 
set  fire  to  and  blew  up  the  Guerriere,  which  was  in  so  sinking  a 
<5ondition  that  she  could  not  be  brought  into  port.  Captain  Hull 
spoke  m  high  terms  of  the  crew,  from  the  smallest  boy  in  the 
stiip  to  the  oldest  seaman.     The  officers  behaved  with  great  gal- 


CONSriTUTION    AND    GUERRIERE. 


49 


lantry.  The  brave  and  amiable  Lieutenant  William  Bush,  th(» 
first  naval  officer  who  fell  in  this  war,  distinguished  himself  by 
intrepidly  leading  on  the  boarders,  when  he  received  the  ball 
which  deprived  b^  country  of  his  services.  Mr.  Aylwin,  who 
manoeuvered  the  ship  so  well  throughout  the  battle,  was  severely 
wounded,  and  on  his  return  to  port  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
a  lieutenant.  The  first  officer.  Lieutenant  Morris,  was  danger- 
ously wounded ;  his  conduct  procured  for  him  the  applause  of  the 
government,  and  a  promotion  to  the  rank  of  a  post-captain. 
Captain  Hull  was  received,  with  a  degree  of  joy  bordering  on 
enthusiasm,  by  the  citizens  of  every  town  through  which  he 
passed  on  his  way  to  the  navy  department.  Many  of  the  state 
legislatures  voted  him  their  thanks  and  a  sword ;  the  freedom  of 
several  cities  was  presented  to  him,  each  in  a  gold  box;  and  the 
people  of  Charlestown  and  Philadelphia  subscribed  for  the  pur- 
chase of  two  elegant  pieces  of  plate.  The  Congress  of  the  United 
States  voted  him,  and  his  officers  and  crew,  their  thanks — ^and 
the  sum  of  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

The  Guerriere  was  one  of  the  finest  and  largest  class  of  frigates 
in  the  British  navy ;  a  fact  which  is  certified  in  a  letter  to  Lord 
Keith  from  a  British  officer.  Captain  Thomas  Lavie,  of  the  frigate 
Blanche — in  which  ship,  on  the  19th  of  July,  1806,  off  the  Faro 
Islands,  after  a  contest  of  the  same  length,  (forty-five  minutes,)  he 
captured  the  French  frigate  Le  Guerriere,  commanded  by  Mon- 
sieur Hubert  of  the  legion  of  honour.  His  letter  states,  "ic 
Guerreire  is  of  the  largest  class  of  frigates,  mounting  fifty  guns, 
with  a  complement  of  three  hundred  an^  seventeen  men.'* 

The  squadron  which  had  sailed  on  the  21st  of  June,  under  the 
command  of  Commodore  Rodgers,  and  which  consisted  of  the 
President,  of  forty-four  guns,  (flag  ship;)  United  States,  forty- 
four,  Captain  Decatur;  Congress,  thirty-six.  Captain  John  Smith; 
Hoinet,  sixteen,  Lieutenant-Commandant  Lawrence;  and  Argus, 
sixteen,  LieutenantrCommandant  Sinclair,  returned  from  the 
cruise,  and  arrived  in  Boston  harbour  on  the  31st  of  August,  with 
alwut  one  hundred  and  twenty  English  prisoners  on  board,  hav 
ing  been  out  seventy-two  days.  These  vessels  had  been  off  the 
English  channel,  along  the  coast  of  France,  Spain,  and  Portugal, 
within  thirty  miles  of  the  Rock  of  Lisbon ;  thence  to  Madeira 


PRESIDENT  AND  BELVIDERE. 


Commodore  Decatur. 


Island,  thence  off  Coro  and  Flores,  and  thence  back  to  the  Banks, 
and  by  Nova  Scotia  to  Boston.  They  were,  most  of  this  time, 
in  search  of  the  Jamaica  fleet;  though  on  the  third  day  out  their 
attention  was  diverted  by  the  appearance  of  a  large  sail,  which 
was  afterwards  known  to  be  the  British  frigate  Belvidere,  Captain 
B.  Byron,  and  to  which  they  gave  chase.  The  President  being 
a  superior  sailer  to  the  rest  of  the  squadron,  was  brought  within 
gun-shot  of  the  enemy.  The  breeze  inclining  to  the  westward 
and  becoming  lighter,  however,  the  Belvidere  had  the  advantage;  at 
one  p.  M.  she  hoisted  English  colours.  At  four,  the  wind  having 
changed,  so  that  the  two  vessels  sailed  nearly  alike.  Commodore 
Rodgers  determined  to  fire  his  bow  chase  guns  at  the  rigging  and 
spars,  in  the  expectation  of  crippling  the  enemy,  so  that  her 
escape  would  be  prevented,  or  at  least  that  the  President  might  be 
enabled  to  come  up.  The  fire  was  returned  from  the  enemy's 
stem  guns,  and  was  kept  up  on  both  sides  until  thirty  minutes 
past  four,  when  one  of  the  President's  chase  guns  bursted,  and 
killed  and  wounded  sixteen  men — among  the  latter  the  commo- 
dore ;  and  by  the  explosion  of  the  passing-box,  from  which  the 
gun  was  served  with  powder,  l)oth  the  main  and  forecastle  decks 
m  its  neighbourhood  were  much  shattered.    The  helm  was  then 


ACTION    ON    LAKE    ONTARIO. 


01 


put  to  starboard,  and  the  discharge  of  the  President's  broadside 
wounded,  and  considerably  injured,  though  it  did  not  destroy,  the 
spars  and  rigging  of  the  Belvidere.  The  President  began  now 
to  lose  ground,  no  hope  was  left  of  bringing  the  enemy  to  close 
action,  except  that  derived  from  being  to  windward,  and  the  pro 
bability  that  the  breeze  might  favour  the  President  first,  and  the 
commodore  ordered  her  to  be  steered  close  after  him,  and  the  bow 
chase  guns  to  be  kept  playing  on  his  spars,  rigging  and  stern 
At  five,  the  enemy's  stern  guns  annoyed  the  President  so  much, 
that  the  commodore  determined  on  another  broadside,  which  being 
discharged,  was  found  to  have  wounded  the  fore-topsail  yard  of 
the  Belvidere :  after  this,  the  pursuit  was  kept  up  until  eleven  p.  m. 
The  President  gave  two  more  broadsides,  but  the  Belvidere 
having  stove  and  threw  overboard  her  boats,  and  every  thing 
which  could  be  possibly  spared ;  and  having  cut  away  her  anchors, 
and  started  about  fourteen  tons  of  water,  outsailed  the  squadron 
and  effected  her  escape.  Six  men  were  killed  and  wounded  by 
the  Belvidere's  fire,  and  sixteen  by  the  accident  on  board  the 
President,  making  in  all  twenty-two,  among  whom,  beside  the 
commodore,  were  five  midshipmen,  one  lieutenant  of  marines,  and 
one  lieutenant  of  the  ship. 

While  these  events  were  transpiring  on  the  ocean,  several  naval 
affairs  took  place  upon  the  lakes,  more  inferior  in  their  magnitude 
than  in  the  heroism  of  the  persons  concerned  in  them.  On  the 
30th  of  July,  the  brig  Julia  of  one  thirty-two-pounder,  and  two 
sixes,  was  fitted  out  at  Sackett's  Harbour,  with  orders  to  proceed 
to  Ogdensburg.  On  the  31st,  upon  entering  the  St.  Lawrence, 
within  sight  of  Brockville,  ten  miles  from  her  destination,  she 
discovered  the  Earl  Moira  of  eighteen  guns,  and  the  Duke  of 
Gloucester  of  ten,  lying  to.  The  Julia  bore  down  within  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  of  them,  and  came  to  action.  At  half-past  four 
p.  M.  the  enemy  opened  their  fire,  and  the  engagement  continued 
three  hours  and  a  half,  during  which  time,  numerous  attempts 
were  made  to  board  the  Julia  by  the  boats  of  the  Duke,  but  the 
thirty-two-pounder  being  well  fought,  the  enemy  were  obliged  to 
relinquish  that  plan.  Both  vessels  hauled  up  under  the  land 
battery,  and  kept  up  a  heavy  fire.  At  eight  o'clock,  the  Julia  pro- 
ceeded to  Ogdensburg,  without  the  loss  of  a  man.    The  enemy's 


i 


i 


-■■* 


liS 


Hi 


62 


LIEUTENANT    ELLIOT's    EXPEDITION. 


loss  has  never  been  ascertained.  In  all  the  engagement  three 
shot  only  struck  the  hull ;  one  went  through  the  jib,  and  another 
pierced  the  gun  carriage  of  the  Julia.  Her  crew  were  all  volun- 
teers; Lieutenant  H.  Wells  having  the  command,  Samuel  Dixon 
being  sailing-master,  and  Captain  Benedict  being  on  board  with 
a  small  company  of  riflemen,  acting  as  marines. 

Lieutenant  Jesse  D.  Elliot,  of  the  United  States  navy,  had  been 
ordered  to  the  Niagara  river,  to  superintend  the  building  of  the 
vessels  at  Black  Rock  for  the  service  on  Lake  Erie.  The  British 
brig  Detroit,  of  six-pound  long  guns,  formerly  the  United  States 
brig  Adams,  which  had  been  taken  at  the  surrender  of  Detroit, 
and  the  brig  Caledonia,  of  two  small  guns,  both  well  appointed 
and  supplied  with  blunderbusses,  pistols,  muskets,  cutlasses, 
boarding-pikes,  and  battle-axes,  came  down  the  lake  and  anchored 
under  the  protection  of  Fort  Erie,  on  the  morning  of  the  eighth  of 
October.  Lieutenant  Elliot  planned  an  expedition  against  them, 
which,  because  there  were  but  few  seamen  at  the  station,  was  to 
be  executed  by  volunteers  from  the  army.  This  plan  was  com- 
municated to  General  Smyth,  who  immediately  agreed  to  supply 
the  regular^'  to  man  two  boats  to  attack  and  cut  out  the  enemy's 
vessels.  Several  companies  of  artillery  and  infantry,  who  arrived 
at  the  rock  only  a  few  days  before,  on  hearing  the  proposal  for 
volunteers,  stepped  forward  to  a  man,  and  such  was  the  eagerness 
of  all  the  troops,  that  it  became  necessary  to  resort  to  lot.  Fifty 
men  only  were  wanted :  Lieutenant  Elliot  having  heard  that  the 
same  number  of  seamen  were  at  a  short  distance  from  him,  on 
their  route  to  the  naval  station,  and  who  arrived  at  twelve  o'clock 
on  the  morning  of  that  day,  and  whom,  though  they  came  off  a 
march  of  five  hundred  miles,  he  determined  should  be  also  of  the 
expedition.  At  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  selection  was  com- 
pleted, and  the  men  stationed  in  two  boats,  (fifty  in  each,)  com- 
mandetl  ^y  Lieutenant  Elliot  and  Sailing-Master  Watts.  In  the 
same  boat  with  the  former,  was  Lieutenant  Isaac  Roach,  and  with 
the  latter.  Captain  N.  Towson,  both  of  the  artillery,  and  officers 
of  great  merit,  who  had  been  fortunate  enough  to  draw  the  suc- 
cessful lots.  About  three  hours  before  daylight  of  the  following 
morning,  the  boats  put  off  from  the  mouth  of  Buffalo  creek,  and 
in  two  hours  were  alongside  the  vessels. 


CAPTURE  OF  THE  DETROIT  AND  CALEDONIA.   03 

In  ten  minutes  the  crews  of  each  were  secured,  the  topsails 
sheeted  home,  and  the  vessels  under  way.  The  wind  not  l)eing 
sufhciently  strong  to  get  them  up  against  a  rapid  current  into  the 
lake,  thoy  were  obliged  to  run  down  the  Niagara,  by  the  forts, 
under  a  strong  fire  of  round,  grape,  and  canister,  from  a  numbei 
of  pieces  of  heavy  ordnance  and  flying  artillery.  They  anchored 
within  four  hundred  yards  of  the  enemy's  battery.  The  oflicer 
commanding  these  was  hailed,  and  informed  that  if  another  gun 
was  fired,  the  prisoners  should  be  brought  on  deck  and  share  the 
fate  which  might  attend  the  American  crew.  This  threat  was 
disregarded,  but  the  humanity  of  the  American  officers  prevented 
them  from  executing  it,  though  a  constant  and  destructive  fire 
was  kept  up  from  the  enemy.  The  Caledonia  succeeded  in  get- 
ting under  the  batteries  at  Black  Rock ;  but  the  Detroit  could  not 
be  got  across.  All  her  guns  were  therefore  placed  upon  the  side 
next  the  enemy,  and  a  fire  directed  against  the  batteries  as  long 
as  the  ammunition  lasted.  During  the  contest  several  attempts 
to  warp  her  over  to  the  American  shore  were  unsuccessfully 
made.  The  fire  from  the  batteries  was  so  destructive,"  that  Lieu- 
tenant Elliot,  expecting  that  she  would  soon  be  sunk  if  she 
remained  in  that  situation,  determined  to  drift  down  the  river  out 
of  their  reach,  and  prefer  making  a  stand  against  the  flying  artil- 
lery. The  cable  was  accordingly  cut,  and  the  Detroit  made  sail 
with  light  airs,  but  the  pilot  having  abandoned  her,  she  brought 
up  on  the  American  shore,  on  Squaw  Island.  The  boarding-boat 
was  immediately  got  ready  and  sent  with  the  prisoners  to  the 
American  side  of  the  river,  with  directions  to  return  for  Lieute- 
nant Elliot  and  whatever  property  could  be  got  out  of  the  brig ; 
the  boat,  however,  could  not  get  back  to  her.  Lieutenant  Elliot 
was,  therefore,  obliged  with  Lieutenant  Roach  and  four  prisoners 
to  make  the  shore  in  a  skiff"  which  they  discovered  under  the 
counter.  Protection  was  then  asked  for  the  brig  fi-om  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Scott,  of  the  second  regiment  of  artillery,  who  imme- 
diately despatched  a  company  of  that  corps,  under  Captain  J.  N. 
Barker,  with  a  few  pieces,  to  be  stationed  opposite  the  island.  A 
boat  from  the  British  shore  approached  the  brig  with  forty  men, 
who  succeeded  in  getting  on  board,  but  the  fire  of  four  pieces  of 
artillery  soon  compelled  them  to  abandon  her,  and  she  was  left  in 


54 


WASP    AND    FROLIC. 


luch  a  condition  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  float  her.  Captain 
Chambers,  and  part  of  the  5th  United  States  regiment,  afterwards 
crossed  to  Squaw  Island  and  burnt  her  with  her  valuable  cargo 
of  furs  The  Caledonia's  cargo  was  estimated  at  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars.  In  all  these  proceedings  the  American  loss 
was  three  killed,  three  severely,  and  four  or  five  slightly  wounded. 
Major  Cuyler,  an  officer  of  great  bravery,  was  killed  by  the  first 
shot  from  the  enemy's  batteries,  as  he  stood  on  the  beach ;  and 
Midshipman  John  C.  Cummings  was  wounded  in  the  leg  by  a 
bayonet  as  he  was  boarding  the  Detroit.  The  regulars  were  un- 
used to  this  species  of  service,  but  they  had  entered  into  it  with 
zeal  and  alacrity,  and  their  conduct  was  such  as  entitled  them  to 
the  approbation  which  they  received  firom  their  officers.  Captain 
Towson  and  Lieutenant  Roach  were  actively  engaged  during  the 
whole  enterprise,  and  contributed  to  its  success  as  much  by  their 
counsel  as  by  their  intrepidity.  Captain  Talbot  Chambers  (now 
major)  it  was  who  destroyed  the  brig  on  the  island.  The  artil- 
lery which  was  stationed  on  the  shore,  when  the  Detroit  was 
abandoned  by  the  crew,  was  served  with  skill  and  dexterity.  The 
loss  of  the  enemy,  by  the  deserters'  report,  was  about  seventy. 

The  United  States  sloop  of  war  Wasp,  having  returned  from 
France  and  refitted,  put  to  sea  again  from  the  Delaware,  on  the 
13th  of  October,  on  a  cruise.  On  the  17th  she  discovered  five 
sail  steering  eastward,  and  as  several  of  them  had  the  appearance 
of  ships  of  war,  she  was  placed  in  such  a  situation  that  she  might 
escape  from,  or  assail  them,  as  circumstances  might  require. 
Keeping  in  the  course  she  had  descried  them,  on  the  following 
morning  at  daylight,  they  were  seen  ahead,  and  on  being  made 
out  to  be  a  convoy  of  six  sail,  under  convoy  of  a  sloop  of  war,  the 
Wasp  gave  them  immediate  chase.  The  convoy,  under  a  heavy 
press  of  sail,  all  made  their  escape  and  left  the  sloop  of  war  to 
contend  with  the  Wasp,  though  four  of  them  were  heavy  ships, 
and  mounted  sixteen  and  eighteen  guns.  The  weather  was  ex- 
tremely boisterous,  and  the  sea  so  rough,  that  the  Wasp's  guns 
had  been  already  several  times  under  water,  she  nevertheless,  pre- 
pared for  action,  and  at  thirty-two  minutes  past  eleven  came  down 
to  windward  in  handsome  style,  on  the  larboard  side  of  the  sloop 
of  war,  and  hailed  her  within  about  sixty  yards.    She  was  thp 


<  ■■! 


WASP    AND    FROLIC. 


M 


the  British  sloop  of  war  Frolic,  Captain  Whinyeates,  of  twenty- 
two  guns,  and  at  this  moment  showed  Spanish  colours,  but  upoi. 
being  hailed,  she  immediately  hauled  them  down,  hoisted  the 
English  ensign,  and  commenced  a  fire  of  cannon  and  musketry.* 
The  action  becoming  close,  the  Wasp  received  a  shot  which  took 
away  her  main-topmast,  threw  it  over  the  fore  and  fore-mainsail 
braces,  and  made  her  head  yards  unmanageable  during  the  re 
mainder  of  the  action.  She  was  soon  after  wounded  in  her  craff 
and  mizzen-topgallant-sail,  but  kept  up,  notwithstanding,  a  close 
and  galling  fire  as  her  side  was  going  down  with  the  swell  of  the 
sea,  and  every  shot  consequently  struck  the  Frolic's  hull.  The 
English,  as  they  almost  invariably  do,  fired  as  their  ship  was 
rising,  and  therefore,  either  missed  their  aim,  or  struck  only  the 
rigging  of  the  Wasp.  The  Wasp  shot  ahead,  gave  a  well-directed 
broadside,  took  station  on  the  larboard  bow  of  the  Frolic,  and 
gradually  neared  her,  until  she  lay  her  on  board,  although  while 
loading  another,  and  the  last  broadside,  the  rammers  of  the  guns 
struck  the  side  of  the  enemy's  vessel.  The  Frolic  had  long 
before  slackened  her  fire,  and  her  jibboom  having  now  entered 
between  the  main  and  mizzen  rigging  of  the  Wasp,  two  of  the 
latter's  guns  were  brought  through  her  bow  ports  and  swept  her 
whole  deck.    The  borders  were  immediately  called,  and  such 


•  The  following  is  an  extract  from  Captain  Jones's  official  account  of  the  battle : 

"  The  courage  and  exertions  of  the  officers  and  crew  fully  answered  my  oxpoctationi 
and  wishes.  Lieutenant  Biddle's  active  conduct  contributed  much  to  our  success,  by 
the  exact  attention  paid  to  every  department  during  the  engagement,  and  the  animating 
example  he  afforded  the  crew  by  his  intrepidity.  Lieutenants  Rodgers,  Booth,  and  Mr. 
Rapp,  showed,  by  the  incessant  fire  from  their  divisions,  that  they  were  not  to  bo  sur- 
passed in  resolution  or  skill.  Mr.  Knight  and  every  other  officer  acted  with  a  courage 
and  promptitude  h.^^hly  honournble,  and  I  trust  have  given  assurance  that  they  may  be 
relied  on  whenever  their  services  may  be  required. 

"I  could  not  ascertain  the  exact  loss  of  the  enemy,  as  many  of  the  doad  lay  buried 
under  the  mnsts  and  spars  that  had  fallen  upon  deck,  which  two  hours'  exertion  had  not 
sufficiently  removed.  Mr.  Diddle,  who  had  charge  of  the  Frolic,  states  that  from  what 
he  saw  and  from  information  from  the  officers,  the  number  of  killed  must  have  boon  about 
thirty,  and  that  of  the  wounded  about  forty  or  fifty — of  the  killed  is  her  first  lieutenant 
and  sailingmaster ;  of  the  wounded,  Captain  Whinyeates  and  the  second  lieutenant. 

"We  had  five  killed  and  five  wounded  as  per  list;  the  wounded  aro  recovering;. 
Lieutenant  Clnxton,  who  was  confined  by  sickness,  left  his  bed  a  little  previous  to  the 
engagement,  and  though  too  weak  to  be  at  his  division,  remained  on  deck  and  showed 
by  his  composed  manner  of  noting  incidents,  that  we  had  lost,  by  his  illneSB,  the  loivicei 
of  a  brave  officer." 


60 


WASP    AND    FROLIC. 


r  ■    1 


was  the  anxiety  of  every  man  to  be  the  first  upon  her  deck,  tha* 
several  of  them  were  pulled  down  upon  their  own  ship  from  the 
bowsprit  of  the  FroUc.  Lieutenant  Biddle,  who  was  a  supemu- 
meiary  officer  of  the  Wasp,  had  mounted  the  hammock  cloth  to 
board,  but  his  feet  getting  entangled  in  the  rigging  of  the  Frolic's 
bowsprit,  Midshipman  J.  C.  Baker,  in  his  enthusiastic  ardour, 
caught  the  lieutenant  by  the  coat,  drew  him  back  upon  the  Wasp's 
leek,  and  was  liimself  the  first  officer  on  that  of  the  enemy. 
Lieutenant  Biddle,  however,  immediately  sprang  up,  ascended 
the  Frolic's  bowsprit,  and  upon  getting  on  her  deck  found  not  a 
single  man  alive,  except  a  seaman  at  the  wheel  and  three  officers, 
who  threw  down  their  swords  and  yielded.  The  Frolic's  colours 
were  still  flying,  and  Lieutenant  Biddle  jumping  into  the  rigging, 
pulled  down  the  English  ensign  himself  Her  birth-deck  was 
crowded  with  dead  and  wounded,  and  her  main-deck  slippery 
with  blood ;  her  loss  could  not  be  accurately  ascertained,  as  many 
of  the  dead  had  been  swept  into  the  sea  by  the  falling  of  her  rig- 
ging, and  others  were  buried  under  the  spars  which  had  fallen  on 
the  deck;  but  by  the  declaration  of  her  own  officers  it  could  not  be 
less  than  thirty  killed  and  about  fifty  wounded.  The  Wasp  lost  five 
killed  and  five  wounded.  Lieutenant  Biddle  was  put  on  board 
the  Frolic  with  a  prize  crew,  with  orders  to  make  a  southern 
port,  but  the  appro?* ''h  of  a  British  ship  of  the  line,  the  Poictiers, 
Sir  J.  P.  Beresford,  of  seventy-four  guns,  made  it  necessary  for  both 
ships  to  make  sail  for  the  most  convenient  port.  The  Frolic  was 
so  much  damaged,  and  the  Wasp  so  disabled  in  her  rigging,  that 
the  enemy  closed  upon  them  fast,  fired  a  shot  over  and  passed  the 
Frolic,  pursued  the  Wasp,  and  made  capture  of  both,  and  ordered 
them  to  Bermuda. 

Thus  terminated  a  spirited  and  brilliant  contest  of  forty-three 
minutes,  in  the  capture  of  an  enemy's  vessel,  four  guns  superior 
at  least  to  her  antagonist.  The  conduct  of  the  American  officers 
and  seamen  showed  that  they  were  not  to  be  surpassed  in  prompti- 
tude or  courage ;  to  that  of  Lieutenant  Biddle,  and  Lieutenant 
Rodgers,  first  of  the  ship,  and  every  other  commissioned  and 
warrant  officer  on  board.  Captain  Jones  has  given  official  tes- 
timony. 

A  seaman,  of  the  name  of  Jack  Lang,  gave  a  very  extraordinary 


it 


UNITED    STATES    AND    MACEDONIAN. 


57 


instance  of  bravery  and  eccentricity,  by  mounting  the  enemy's 
bowsprit  before  any  of  his  brother  sailors  had  attempted  to  do  so, 
though  called  back  by  his  commander,  and  by  the  jocose  manner 
in  which  he  descended  from  it  to  the  deck  of  the  Frolic,  with 
many  humorous  expressions  peculiar  to  his  profession.  Lieu- 
tenants Booth  and  Mr.  Rapp,  and  Midshipmen  Gaunt  and  Baker, 
the  latter  of  whom  died  in  Bermuda,  behaved  with  great  personal 
bravery.  Lieutenant  Claxton,  who  was  confined  by  sickness,  left 
his  bed,  went  upon  deck,  and  noted  tho  incidents  of  the  engage- 
ment with  great  composure. 

When  Captain  Jones  returned  from  Bermuda  he  received  from 
his  countrymen  as  many  flattering  testimonials  of  their  approba- 
tion as  they  had  previously  given  to  Captain  Hull.  The  legisla- 
tures of  Massachusetts,  New  York,  and  Delaware,  of  which  latter 
state  he  was  a  native,  presented  him  with  their  thanks,  and  several 
elegant  swords  and  pieces  of  plate.  The  order  of  Cincinnati  admit- 
ted him  into  the  society  as  an  honorary  member,  as  they  had  Captain 
Hull ;  and  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  voted  him,  his  oiR- 
cers,  and  crew,  twenty-five  thousand  dollars,  in  consideration  of 
the  loss  they  met  with  by  not  being  able  to  bring  in  the  Frolic. 

The  next  naval  action  took  place  on  the  25th  of  Octo- 
ber, and  terminated  in  the  victory  of  the  United  States  frigate 
United  States,  over  the  British  frigate  Macedonian,  the  command 
of  which,  upon  her  being  brought  into  port,  refitted  and  taken 
into  the  service,  was  given  to  Lieutenant-Commandant  Jones, 
who,  as  a  further  testimony  of  the  high  opinion  which  the  execu- 
tive entertained  of  his  gallant  conduct  in  the  capture  of  the  Fi«>lic, 
was  now  promoted  to  the  rank  of  post-captain.  The  events  of 
that  engagement,  in  the  order  of  succession,  should  have  been 
recorded  in  the  present  chapter.  They  will  be  found,  however, 
in  another  naval  section  of  the  work. 

Though  the  enemy  gained  no  advantages  over  our  forces  on 
the  ocean  which  could  counter-balance  the  disasters  he  sustained 
by  these  successive  triumphs  of  the  American  arms,  his  superior 
class  of  ships  made  capture  of  several  of  our  smaller  vessels  of 
war.  The  squadron  which  had  pursued  the  Constitution  on  the 
18th  of  July,  captured  a  day  or  two  after,  the  United  States 
ichooner  Nautilus,  of  twelve  guns,  commanded  by  Lieutenant- 


6S 


LOSS    OF    THE    VIXEN. 


8k 


s 


]l^ 


Commandant  Crane;  and  on  the  22d  November,  the  United 
States  schooner  Vixen,  Lieutenant^Commandant  George  Wash 
ington  Reed,  of  the  same  number  of  guns,  was  captured,  after  a 
chase  of  nine  hours  and  a  half,  by  the  British  frigate  Southamp- 
ton, Sir  James  Lucas  Yeo.  Though  the  Vixen  was  commanded 
by  a  skilful  and  scientific  seaman,  and  manned  by  as  gallant  a 
crew  as  any  other  American  vessel,  every  effort  to  escape  was 
found  to  be  fruitless,  and  she  was  at  length  surrendered  to  a  ship 
as  much  her  superior  in  sailing  as  in  force.  She  had  not  long 
been  captive  to  the  enemy  before  both  vessels  ran  ashore  and 
were  immediately  wrecked.  The  frigates'  crew  became  mutinous 
from  intoxication,  and  the  property  which  was  saved  from  both 
wrecks  was  retrieved  by  the  generous  and  indefatigable  exertions 
of  the  American  sailors.  Captain  Reed,  himself,  was  as  actually 
engaged  in  the  direction  and  encouragement  of  the  men,  as  any 
of  the  British  officers,  and  he  received  the  public  acknowledg- 
ments of  Sir  James,  accompanied  by  an  offer  of  his  parole  to 
return  home.  But  such  were  the  noble  sentiments  by  which  he  was 
ever  actuated,  that  he  would  not  leave  his  officers  and  men,  and 
preferring  to  remain  with  them  in  an  unhealthy  climate,  to  which 
they  were  taken,  he  became  a  victim  to  an  obstinate  fever,  brought 
on  by  the  anxieties  and  fatigues  to  which,  by  his  unpleasant  situa- 
tion, and  his  unremitting  attention  to  the  comforts  of  his  men,  he 
was  necessarily  exposed.  His  interment  was  attended  by  the 
British  officers,  and  a  detachment  from  the  garrison,  and  his  fune- 
ral obsequies  were  accompanied  by  those  honours  due  to  his  rank 
which  are  seldom  withheld  from  a  brave  enemy. 

A  splendid  triumph  seldom  fails  to  excite  the  general  joy,  and 
to  call  forth  the  universal  admiration  of  the  people.  The  rapid 
succession  in  which  the  naval  conquests  followed  each  other — the 
superiority  of  seamanship  and  gunnery  which  was  exhibited  in 
each,  and  the  fact  being  now  well  ascertained  that  the  inexperienced 
crews  of  the  American  navy  could  not  only  sustain  a  conflict  with, 
but  might  actually  capture  the  veteran  seamen  of  the  enemy, 
whenever  chance  should  bring  them  together,  upon  equal  terms; 
the  attention  of  Congress  was  turned  to  the  marine  establishment, 
»nd  the  majority  of  the  nation  were  desirous  that  measures  shcild 
)e  immediately  adopted  for  its  enlargement. 


PRIVATEERS. 


69 


In  the  naval  part  of  the  war,  the  national  ships  were  actively 
assisted  by  privateers.  Twenty-six  of  these  vessels,  carrying 
two  hundred  and  twelve  guns,  and  two  thousand  two  hundred 
and  thirty-nine  men,  were  fitted  out  from  New  York,  and  seven- 
teen, vessels,  carrying  one  hundred  and  forty-three  guns,  and  one 
thousand  five  hundred  and  thirty-eight  men,  from  Ballimore.  in 
1812.  The  other  seaports  contributed  proportionally  to  this 
force,  by  which  the  commerce  of  the  enemy  suffered  very 
severely.  Our  space  will  permit  but  a  slight  notice  of  their 
operations. 

The  Nonsuch  privateer  of  Baltimore,  Captain  Levely,  carry- 
ing twelve  twelve-pound  carronades,  and  (at  that  time)  between 
eighty  and  ninety  men,  on  the  28th  of  September,  1812,  fell  in 
with  a  ship  and  schooner  under  British  colours,  the  ship  carry- 
ing sixteen  eighteen  and  twenty-four-pound  carronades,  and  two 
hundred  men,  including  soldiers;  and  the  schooner  six  four- 
pounders,  and  sixty  men.  "  When  within  reach  of  the  ship," 
says  the  logbook  of  the  Nonsuch,  "  she  gave  us  a  broadside. 
Bore  down  upon  her,  and  hoisted  American  colours,  and  re* 
turned  ten  broadsides,  accompanied  each  time  with  a  heavy  vol- 
ley of  musketry ;  the  ship  and  schooner  keeping  up  a  heavy  fire 
upon  us  with  their  great  guns  and  musketry.  The  engagement 
lasted  three  hours  and  twenty  minutes,  when  the  bolts  and 
breachings  of  our  guns,  fore  and  aft,  were  carried  away,  on  both 
sides.  We  could  then  only  fire  our  musketry,  or  should  have 
certainly  captured  them  both.  Dismounted  several  of  the  ship's 
guns,  and  damaged  her  very  much  in  her  hull  and  rigging. 
From  the  confusion  which  appeared  on  board,  we  judge  that  we 
must  have  killed  a  number  of  men.  She  bore  away  for  Mar- 
tinico.  We  being  much  crippled  in  our  rigging,  could  not  pursue 
her.     Our  crew  all  fought  like  true  Americans." 

The  only  other  action  which  we  shall  notice,  is  thus  described 
by  a  resident  at  Laguira,  who  saw  it. 

"  On  the  9th  of  December,  the  private  armed  schooner  Sara- 
toga, commanded  by  Captain  Charles  W.  Wooster,  made  heT 
appearance  off  Laguira.  The  same  day  the  first  lieutenant  went 
on  shore,  and  reported  that  they  were  twenty-four  days  from 

New  York,  and  had  seen  nothing.     On  the  10th,  Captain 

68 


m 

ijlji 


%ll 


60 


PRIVATEERS. 


■'fi; 


^        iii. 


£?-:.i' 


Ir' 
I-  '  ! 


Wooster  ran  down  and  anchored  in  the  Foads,  but  in  a  few 
minutes  was  advised  in  a  note  from  the  American  consul,  to 
weigh  and  keep  out  of  the  reach  of  the  batteries,  as  the  com- 
mandant had  said  he  would  sink  her  if  she  came  to.    He  immedi- 
ately complied  with  this  advice,  and  stood  off.     He  soon  disco- 
vered a  schooner  standing  down  the  coast,  and  some  miles  to  wind- 
ward of  Laguira.    He  boarded  and  captured  her.    She  was  laden 
with  dry  goods  to  the  amount  of  twenty  thousand  dollars.     The 
next  day,  at  nine  a.  m.,  after  the  fog  cleared  off,  the  Saratoga  was 
some  miles  to  leeward  of  Laguira,  in  shore  of  a  brig,  but  neither 
near  enough  to  fetch  in.     At  eleven  a.  m.,  the  brig  tacked  off 
shore,  and  soon  after  the  schooner  did  the  same.     It  was  known 
on  shore  that  the  brig  was  well  armed  and  manned,  and  it  was 
generally  believed  she  would  take  the  Saratoga,  or  at  all  events 
beat  her  off.  The  inhabitants  all  left  off  their  business,  from  the 
commandant  to  the  beggar,  to  see  the  engagement.     The  brig 
being  so  far  from  the  schooner,  it  was  some  time  before  she  came 
up  with  her.    They  being  so  far  off,  the  spectators  on  shore 
could  but  just  discover  them  from  the  house-tops ;  and  just  as 
they  had  given  up  all  hope  of  seeing  the  battle,  they  discovered 
them  both  tacking  to  shore  again.    They  continued  standing  in 
until  within  two  leagues  of  the  town,   when   the    Saratoga 
commenced  the  action  from  her  starboard  bow  guns,  which  was 
returned  from  the  brig's  larboard  quarter.     The  action  now  be- 
came furious,  so  that  both  vessels  were  hid  in  columns  of  fire  and 
smoke ;  but  in  a  few  minutes  the  firing  ceased.    When  the  smoke 
cleared  off,  no  other  colours  were  flying  except  the  American,  on 
board  the  Saratoga,  which  was  victorious.     On  the  1 3th,  the 
second  mate  and  twenty-five  seamen  arrived  at  Laguira,  in  the 
brig's  long-boat,  which  Captain  Wooster  had  given  them,  to- 
gether with  every  article  belonging  to  them.     The  second  mate 
was  the  only  officer  that  was  alive  after  the  action,  there  being 
great  slaughter  on  board  the  brig.     On  board  the  Saratoga  they 
had  but  one  man  slightly  wounded.     The  brig  was  the  Rachel, 
from  Greenock,  mounting  twelve  long  nine-pounders,  and  carry- 
ing sixty  men.     She  had  on  board  a  cargo  of  dry  goods,  &c., 
invoiced  at  fifteen  thousand  pounds  sterling."  ^a. 


HOSTILITIES    OF    THE    CREEK    INDIANS. 


61 


CHAPTER   III. 


NTELLIGENCE  of  the  recent  mis- 
fortun3  of  the  north-western  array,  of 
the  assault  upon  the  troops  from  Fort 
Chicago,  and  of  the  advantages  which 
were  consequently  expected  to  follow 
those  events  having  been  communica*  3d 
by  early  despatches  from  the  tribes  on 
the  northern  to  those  of  the  Creek  nation 
on  the  southern  frontiers ;  fears  were  entertained  tliat  the  result 
of  a  council  of  the  chiefs  of  that  nation,  which  was  to  be  held  on 
the  22d  of  October,  would  be  unfavourable  to  the  interests  of  that 
department  of  the  Union,  and  that  a  coalition  would  be  formed 
between  the  Indians  of  the  two  extremities,  which  might  require 
all  the  energies  of  the  government  to  suppress.     To  this  council 


!•  i :: 

(  i.    ■! 


62 


HOSTILITIES    OP    THE    CREEKS 


I'ii 


I   :\i 


I! 


ihi: 


m" 


'J 


\r 


of  the  Creeks,  their  neighbours,  the  Choctaws,  the  Chickasaws, 
and  the  Cherokees  were  invited,  and  if  the  deUberations  of  such 
a  convention  should  be  influenced  by  the  elation  evidently  pro- 
duced by  the  late  successes  of  their  northern  red  brethren,  the 
whole  frontier  from  Tennessee  to  the  bay  of  Mobile,  and  all  the 
settlements  between  Georgia  and  the  Mississippi,  and  Tennessee 
and  Florida,  would  be  subject  to  their  depredations.  The  Semi- 
noles,  a  tribe  attached  to  the  Creek  nation,  were  already  at  war 
with  the  white  people  on  the  borders  of  East  Florida,  and  had 
murdered  several  citizens  on  the  Georgia  side  of  the  St.  Mary's. 
The  same  hatchet  which  is  raised  by  one  of  a  chain  of  tribes, 
linked  together  by  common  or  confederated  interests,  is  generally 
grasped  by  all.  The  Creeks  were  not  dilatory  in  following  an 
example  which  they  at  first  pretended  to  restrain,  and  their  out- 
rages surpassed  those  of  any  of  the  northern  nations. 

The  British,  availing  themselves  of  one  of  the  best  harbours  in 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  sent  several  of  their  vessels  loaded  with  the 
implements  of  war  to  Pensacola.  The  commandant  at  St.  Marks, 
a  small  Spanish  settlement  between  East  and  West  Florida, 
informed  the  chiefs  that  the  English  would  soon  be  there  with 
guns,  knives,  hatchets,  and  ammunition  for  the  red  people,  whom 
they  considered  to  be  their  friends.  These  were  put  into  the 
hands  of  the  Indians,  and  they  commenced  their  hostilities  against 
all  the  defenseless  inhabitants  of  Tennessee  and  Georgia.  The 
presence  of  an  army  became  now  necessary  in  the  south,  and  the 
states  there  were  authorized  to  call  forth  as  many  of  the  militia, 
as,  in  conjunction  with  the  regulars,  might  be  thought  competent 
to  quell  the  associated  tribes.  The  Indians  of  the  Creek  nation 
are  not  subject  to  any  kind  of  restraint  in  war,  they  will  neither 
give  nor  receive  quarters,  and  pursue  no  other  mode  but  that 
which  leads  to  entire  extermination.  The  force  necessary  tc 
combat  such  an  enemy  must,  therefore  be  extensive,  and  the 
executives  of  the  different  states  made  every  exertion  to  arm  and 
equip  the  whole  quota  of  the  militia. 

The  Seminoles  had  been  committing  depredations  of  the  most 
ddfing  nature,  before  they  had  any  intelligence  from  their  northern 
friends ;  and  uniting  to  their  forces  a  number  of  negroes  whom 
they  had  captured  at  Florida,  they  made  frequent  incursions  into 


BATTLE  OF  LOTCHWAY  TOWN. 


63 


the  state  of  Georgia,  murdered  many  inhabitants,  and  carried  off 
much  valuable  plunder.  On  the  night  of  the  11th  of  September, 
about  twenty  American  troops,  principally  marines,  under  com- 
mand of  Captain  Williams  of  that  corps,  were  marching  with  two 
wagons  towards  Davis'  creek.  When  within  ten  miles  of  their 
destination  they  were  attacked  by  a  party  of  Indians  and  negroes 
of  about  fifty  in  number,  with  whom  they  contended  until  every 
cartridge  was  expended.  Captain  Williams,  in  the  course  of  that 
time,  received  eight  wounds,  and  was  carried  off  by  two  of  his 
men,  leaving  Captain  Fort,  of  the  volunteers,  to  command  his 
troops,  and  to  keep  up  the  contest;  but  he  being  also  wounded,  and 
finding  the  strength  of  the  party  to  be  diminishing,  retired  in  the 
best  manner  he  could,  and  left  the  Indians  in  possession  of  the 
wagons  and  teams.  The  night  was  excessively  dark,  and  several 
of  the  men,  who  were  wounded,  had  concealed  themselves  in  the 
bushes.  On  the  following  morning  a  detachment  was  sent  from  a 
blbck-house  a  few  miles  off,  to  which  some  of  the  men  had  escaped, 
to  examine  the  ground.  They  found  Captain  Williams,  with  his 
right  leg  and  left  arm  broken,  his  left  leg  shot  through  with  one, 
and  his  right  arm  with  three  balls,  and  a  wound  through  the  lower 
part  of  his  body.  One  man  was  killed  and  scalped,  and  the  whole 
number  of  wounded  was  six.  The  Indians  destroyed  one  wagon, 
but  took  the  other  to  carry  off  their  dead  and  wounded — of  whom 
the  number  was  much  greater  than  that  of  the  marines.  Captain 
Williams  languished  for  three  or  four  days,  and  expired  at  Davis' 
creek.  He  was  a  brave  young  man,  and  noted  for  his  sedulous 
attention  to  the  duties  of*  his  station. 

On  the  24th  of  the  same  month,  Colonel  Newnan,  of  the 
Georgia  volunteers,  left  PicoUata  with  about  one  hundred  and 
seventeen  men  for  the  Lotchway  towns.  On  his  third  day's 
march,  when  within  seven  miles  of  the  first  of  those  towns,  he 
was  met  by  a  body  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  Indians,  all  of 
whom  were  mounted.  This  meeting  was  very  unexpected  to  the 
Indians,  but  they  immediately  dismounted,  formed  a  line  of  batr 
tie,  and  marched  a  few  paces  in  advance.  This  movement  was 
intended  to  intimidate  the  Georgians,  but  Colonel  Newnan  gave 
orders  for  the  charge,  and  determined  to  put  an  end  to  the  encoun 
ter  by  entirely  subduing  the  Indians  or  putting  them  to  flight 


^.''^ 


iRj; 


(64 


BATTLE  OF  LOTCHWAY  TOWN. 


The  battle-ground  was  situated  midst  a  number  of  swamps,  which 
bounded  three  of  its  sides.  The  Indians  remained  firm  until  the 
Georgians  had  advanced  within  fifty  paces  of  their  line,  when 
they  fled  to  these  swamps  for  safety.  The  whole  of  the  musketry 
being  fired  at  them  with  precision,  made  great  execution,  and 
among  others,  killed  their  leader,  King  Paine.  His  tribe,  on  hearing 
of  his  fall,  were  resolved  on  rescuing  his  body  from  the  enemy,  and 
returned  to  the  action  for  that  purpose.  Several  charges  were 
now  made,  and  the  Indians  were  constantly  driven  back,  until  at 
length  they  determined  on  one  desperate  effort,  and  recovering 
all  their  strength  and  spirits,  they  made  a  push  against  the  Geor- 
gians, which,  though  it  was  received  with  firmness,  could  not  be 
resisted  with  much  vigour.  The  Indians  obtained  the  body  of 
King  Paine,  gave  up  the  conflict,  which  had  now  lasted  upwards 
of  four  hours,  and  carried  off"  their  killed  and  wounded,  supposed 
to  be  between  twenty  and  thirty. 

Before  night  of  the  same  day,  the  Indians  were  reinforced  from 
their  towns  by  other  Indians  and  negroes,  and  renewed  and  kept 
up  the  action,  with  the  greatest  obstinacy,  until  they  began  to 
think  the  volunteers  invincible,  and  again  fled.  Their  force  in 
the  second  attack  was  upwards  of  two  hundred,  but  they  were 
repulsed  with  nearly  the  same  loss  as  in  the  first ;  whilst  the 
volunteers  loss  in  both,  was  one  killed  and  nine  wounded. 

Colonel  Newnan's  situation  was  becoming  extremely  hazard- 
ous; the  enemy's  numbers  were  hourly  increasing,  and  they  began 
to  surround  him  on  all  sides :  he  therefore  threw  up  a  small  breast- 
work, from  which  he  was  determined  to  defend  himself  until  his 
troops  should  be  reinforced  also.  He  had  already  despatched 
expresses  to  procure  additional  numbers.  His  wounded  men  ren- 
dered him  unable  to  retreat  or  to  advance ;  and  he  repelled  every 
assault  Nvhich  was  made  upon  this  little  work  until  the  4th  day 
of  October.  The  Indians  were  continually  harassing  him,  day 
and  night ;  and  finding  they  could  make  no  impression  on  his 
fortification,  they  glutted  their  insatiable  vengeance  by  shooting 
all  his  horses.  On  the  4th,  a  perfect  silence  prevailed  in  Colonel 
Newnan's  camp,  and  the  Indians  suspected  from  that,  and  the 
circumstance  that  their  fire  had  not  been  returned  the  day  pre- 
ceding, that  he  had  deserted  it  in  the  night.     Under  this  assur- 


BATTLE  OF  LOTCHWAY  TOWN. 


65 


ance  they  approached  the  works,  without  any  thought  of  opposition 
until  they  were  within  forty  paces  of  them,  when  the  Georgian 
troops  suddenly  showed  themselves,  compelled  the  Indians  to 
retreat  with  precipitation,  and  after  several  rapid  discharges  of 
musketry,  killed  and  wounded  about  thirty  warriors  more.  They 
then  decamped,  without  being  molested,  and  were  stationed  about 
ten  miles  off,  on  the  Picolatta  road,  where  they  were  obliged  to 
await  the  arrival  of  fresh  horses  and  provisions.  Colonel  New- 
nan's  account  of  this  affair  bestows  a  high  degree  of  credit  upon 
every  volunteer  of  his  detachment ;  and  their  intrepid  conduct,  as 
well  as  his  judicious  arrangements,  served  to  give  a  check  to  the 
combined  red  and  black  warriors,  which  promised  security  to  the 
neighbourhood,  at  least,  until  larger  forces  should  be  organized. 
Besides  the  loss  of  King  Paine,  the  Indians  had  three  of  the  prin- 
cipal chiefs  and  their  young  governor  slain ;  and  Bow-legs,  theii 
second  in  command,  severely  wounded. 


'in         I 

if  ,  i 


m 


m4 


m  i 


w 

f        >J, 


66 


ORGANIZATION   OF   THE    NORTH-WESTERN    ARMY. 


General  Harrleon. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

4B^ation#  tt  tTsfilot  anH  WK-M^tt(xx  on  tfie  'No«tf)*i9i'#tnn  ;jFroiitirr. 

MMEDIATELY  after  the  surrender 
of  the  garrisons  at  Michilimackinac, 
Chicago,  and  Detroit,  measures  were 
adopted  for  the  orgaMzation  and  equip- 
ment of  a  new  army.  An  offer  ha»i 
been  made  to  receive  volunteers  into 
the  service  from  the  states  and  territo- 
ries in  the  neighbourhood  of  Michigan, 
and  they  came  forward  with  an  alacrity 
which  made  it  unnecessary  to  hold  out  allurements.  The  recovery 
of  the  surrendered  territory,  and  the  re-establishment  of  its  former 
civil  government,  were  the  strong  motives  which  induced  all  the 
brave  and  patriotic  men  in  its  vicinity  to  take  up  arms  and  march 
against  the  invaders.  The  inhabitants  of  that  territory  were  now 
governed  by  an  authority  too  rigorous  to  be  compatible  with 
those  notions  of  liberty  inspired  by  the  genius  of  their  own  con- 
stitution, and  they  were  awaiting  the  expected  succour  from  their 
friends  with  the  deepest  anxiety. 

The  new  army  was  in  readiness  almost  instantly,  the  different 
corps  concentrated  with  unprecedented  celerity,  and  by  the  early 
part  of  September  their  disposition  was  completed.     Two  thou- 


II  •'ii 


DEFENSE  OF  FORT  HARRISON. 


67 


sand  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  under  Brigadier-General  Crooks, 
left  Pittsburg  for  the  shores  of  Lake  Erie;  General  Tupper's 
brigade  of  Ohio  volunteers  was  to  retrace  the  road  which  had 
been  formed  by  the  first  army,  from  Urbanna  to  the  Rapids ;  and 
a  brigade  of  Virginians,  when  they  should  arrive,  under  General 
Leftwhich,  was  to  pursue  the  same  route.  General  Payne's  bri- 
gade of  Kentucky  volunteers,  the  first  of  the  present  army  which 
was  in  readiness,  and  the  17th  United  States  regiment,  under 
Colonel  Wells,  were  to  proceed  to  Fort  Wayne,  and  descend  to 
the  Rapids  of  the  Miami  of  the  lakes,  which  place  was  assigned  for 
the  general  rendezvous. 

The  command  of  the  second  norl  i-western  army  was  given,  by 
the  unanimous  wishes  of  the  troops  compos  mg  it,  to  General 
William  H.  Harrison ;  the  immediate  couimai'd  of  the  Kentucky 
troops  under  General  Payne,  devolved  on  h\a,  by  V  ^  being  br©- 
vetted  a  major-general  by  the  governor  of  that  state 

Forts  Harrison  and  Wayne  were  at  this  time  garrisonerl  only 
by  a  few  regulars  and  volunteers ;  numerc  Uf  British  and  -idian 
forces  had  already  marched  from  Maiden  o  lay  waste  the  Ohio 
frontier,  and  the  latter  post  would  naturally  be  their  leading  point. 
General  Harrison,  therefore,  immediately  marched  to  its  relief 
with  Payne's  brigade  and  the  regulars. 

The  former  post  (Fort  Harrison)  was  invested  on  the  3d  of 
September  by  the  Prophet's  party  from  the  Wabash.  On  the 
night  of  the  4th  they  set  fire  to  one  of  the  block-houses,  contain- 
ing the  contractor's  property,  and  followed  up  that  act  by  a  reso- 
lute attack  upon  the  fort.  The  garrison  was  commanded  by 
Captain  Zachary  Taylor,  of  thi  7  rh  United  States  infantry,  and 
consisted  of  only  eighteen  effective  men.  The  flames  were  rag- 
ing— the  Indians,  about  three  hundred  in  number,  were  howling 
in  their  usual  horrid  manner,  and  the  women  and  children  of  the 
oarracks  were  crying  ibr  protection  which  they  did  not  expect  to 
receive.  When  the  block-house  should  be  entirely  consumed,  a 
large  entrance  would  be  open  to  the  enemy ;  no  efforts  had  yet 
succeeded  to  extinguish  the  fire;  its  ascendency  baffled  every 
attempt — and  the  men  themselves  began  to  despond.  Two  of 
the  stoutest  jumped  over  the  pickets,  with  a  hope  of  escaping  in 
the  dark ;  but  one  of  them  was  cut  to  pieces  and  scalped,  dod  the 


6S 


DEFENSE    OF    FORT    HARRISON. 


li;.f 


II  ' 

•  'I 

,'v  ' 


Other  returned  with  his  arm  broken,  and  implored  to  be  re-admit- 
ted into  the  fort.    Under  these  discouraging  circumstances,  Cap- 
tain Taylor  never  suffered  his  presence  of  mind  to  forsake  him 
and  applying  the  only  resource  now  left  him,  he  ordered  a  smal 
party  to  dislodge  the  roof  of  the  house,  so  that  it  might  fall  in  the 
space,  whilst  a  few  men  in  another  house  were  to  keep  up  a  con- 
tinual fire  upon  the  Indians.     His  plan  succeeded — ^the  men 
became  confident  in  their  exertions,  and  a  breastwork  was  formed 
under  a  heavy  shower  of  bullets,  along  the  cavity  which  the  de- 
struction of  the  block-house  produced.     A  desperate  defense  was 
now  made,  and  a  constant  and  rapid  fire  kept  up  until  six  o'clock 
in  the  morning  of  the  6th.     Several  furious  assaults  had  been 
repulsed,  and  the  Indians,  at  the  approach  of  day,  judging  the 
number  of  the  garrison  to  be  greater  than  it  actually  was,  retired 
with  a  quantity  of  captured  cattle,  after  having  shot  all  the  horses 
belonging  to  the  fort.     Doctor  Clarke  was  the  most  indefatigable 
man  in  the  engagement,  and  Captain  Taylor's  good  conduct  was 
so  highly  applauded,  that  the  president  soon  after  promoted  him 
to  a  majority.     Two  men  only  were  killed,  with  the  exception  of 
the  deserter,  and  one  wounded.    The  Indians  always  carry  off 
their  dead,  unless  their  numbers  are  too  small,  and  their  loss  is 
seldom  without  great  difficulty  ascertained.     All  the  provisions 
were  consumed  by  the  fire,  and  the  garrison  compelled  to  subsist 
on  green  corn  until  reinforcements  should  come  on  with  supplies 
The  little  band,  which  was  now  reduced  to  fourteen  men,  repaired 
the  damages  sustained  by  the  fort,  and  constructed  a  strong  forti- 
fication across  the  space.    The  bastions  were  all  put  in  the  best 
state  of  defense,  and  every  precaution  adopted  to  sustain  a  second 
assault.     To  the  great  joy  of  the  garrison,  however.  Colonel  Wil- 
liam Russell  arrived  about  the  16th,  from  Illinois,  with  six  hun- 
dred mounted  rangers  and  five  hundred   infantry,  and  Fort 
Harrison  became  sufficiently  manned  to  resist  the  attack  of  a 
much  J  arger  body  of  the  Prophet's  warriors. 

The  situation  of  Fort  Wayne  was  now  more  critical  than  that 
of  any  other  fortress  in  the  west.  The  Indians,  who  had  pro- 
ceeded from  the  battleground  of  Chicago,  were  afterwards  rein- 
forced by  those  from  Maiden,  and  they  laid  siege  to  this  fortress 
In  very  large  numbers.    The  troops  in  garrison  amounted  to 


seventy. 
commeiK 
but  did  I 
the  sout] 
seventy  j 
of  their  c 
tect  them 
attack  w{ 
they  appi 
would  sci 
pelled  thi 
by  force  1 
ail  kinds  < 
pieces,  wl 
suade  the 
tering  pie 
one  of  the 
troops  wc 
following 
other  wari 
but  the  tro 
by  the  an 
until  ever; 
attempts  a 
was  comn 
doing  an} 
war-whoo 
a  man  wai 
they  inflic 
On  the  e^ 
the  garris( 
The  de 
were  as  in 
neighbour 
and  every 
The  India 
treated  wi 
no  act  indi 


DEFENSE    OF    FORT    WAYNE. 


71 


seventy.  On  the  night  of  the  6th  of  September  the  Indians 
commenced  an  attack,  they  fired  principally  upon  the  sentinels, 
but  did  no  injury.  On  the  6th,  several  of  the  men  went  out  of 
the  south  gate  of  the  fort,  but  had  not  proceeded  more  than 
seventy  paces  when  two  of  them  were  killed,  and  by  the  exertions 
of  their  companions  their  bodies  were  carried  into  the  fort,  to  pro- 
tect them  against  savage  indignities.  During  the  night  another 
attack  was  made  by  the  whole  force  of  the  Indians,  and  when 
they  approached  the  fort,  it  was  confidently  expected  that  they 
would  scale  the  works,  but  the  incessant  fire  of  the  garrison  com 
pelled  them  to  abandon  their  designs.  What  they  could  not  do 
by  force  they  then  attempted  by  stratagem.  Resort  was  had  to 
all  kinds  of  artifice,  and  they  at  length  brought  up  two  wooden 
pieces,  which  they  had  contrived  in  imitation  of  cannon,  to  per- 
suade the  garrison  that  the  British  had  supplied  them  with  bat- 
tering pieces  to  reduce  the  place.  These  were  brought  up,  and 
one  of  their  chiefs  threatened  to  batter  down  the  walls  unless  the 
troops  would  immediately  capitulate,  or  to  storm  them  on  the 
following  day,  when  they  would  be  reinforced  by  seven  hundred 
other  warriors.  In  three  days  they  menaced  an  entire  massacre, 
but  the  troops  in  Fort  Wayne,  still  hoping  that  it  would  be  relieved 
by  the  arrival  of  the  expected  volunteers,  resolved  to  hold  out 
until  every  article  of  provision  should  be  exhausted.  No  other 
attempts  were  made  upon  the  fort  until  the  9th,  when  a  firing 
was  commenced  and  continued  at  intervals  all  day,  but  without 
doing  any  damage.  On  the  succeeding  day  they  began  their 
war-whoop,  renewed  their  fire,  and  were  again  unsuccessful.  Not 
a  man  was  killed  in  any  of  their  attacks,  the  only  wounds  which 
they  inflicted  being  upon  those  who  ventured  without  the  fort. 
On  the  evening  of  the  12th,  General  Harrison's  forces  reached 
the  garrison,  and  the  whole  Indian  body  precipitately  fled. 

The  depredations  which  they  had  committed  about  the  fort 
were  as  inhuman  as  they  were  extensive.  All  the  stock  upon  the 
neighbouring  farms  was  destroyed ;  the  corn,  all  the  small  grain, 
and  every  house  burned;  and  all  the  horses  and  cattle  killed 
The  Indian  agent,  Stephen  Johnson,  was  murdered,  and  his  bodjr 
treated  with  shocking  indecency :  and,  indeed,  the  commission  ot 
no  act  indicative  of  savage  vengeance  was  omitted.  The  approach 


T« 


MIAMI    TOWNS    DESTROYED. 


»f    Ai 


;,rf 


of  the  regulars  and  volunteers,  prevented  perhaps,  the  destruction 
of  the  fields  at  a  greater  distance,  and  secured  a  supply  of  Indian 
corn  for  the  garrison.     But  the  great  augmentation  of  the  troops 
made  it  necessary  to  obtain  supplies  of  other  provisions,  from  the 
towns  of  those  tribes  which  had  been  so  active  in  destro3ring  what 
the  farms  might  have  afforded.    It  was  now  high  time,  too,  to 
make  the  Indians  feel  those  effects  of  the  war  which  their  repeated 
cruelties  had  provoked,  and  to  convince  them  that  the  American 
troops  were  not  quite  fo  contemptible  and  degraded  as  the  Indians 
implied  them  to  be  from  the  surrender  of  the  l^te  commander-in- 
chief  on  the  same  station.    General  Harrison,  therefore,  divided 
his  forces  into  scouting  parties,  under  the  command  of  his  most 
active  officers.     Several  expeditions  were  forwarded  against  the 
Indian  settlements,  and  some  expectations  entertained  that  they 
might  be  drawn  into  battle.    But  they  did  not  betray  the  same 
willingness  to  combat  these  corps  which  they  had  heretofore  shown 
to  encounter  others.    The  Kentuckians  were  held  in  great  dread 
by  most  of  the  Indian  warriors,  and  the  expression  of  ^^  Kentucky 
too  muchy''  has  not  unfrequently  accompanied  their  orders  to 
•etreat,  in  the  form  of  justification.     On  the  14th,  General  Harri- 
son despatched  Colonel  Wells,  with  his  own  and  Colonel  Scott's 
regiments,  and  two  hundred  mounted  riflemen,  with  instructions 
to  proceed  up  the  river  St.  Joseph,  which,  with  the  St.  Mary's, 
forms  the  Miami  of  the  lakes,  and  to  destroy  the  Pottawatomie 
towns  at  Elk  Hart.    Another  detachment,  consisting  of  Colonels 
Allen's  and  Lewis'  regiments,  and  Captain  Garrard's  troop,  under 
command  of  General  Payne,  but  which  the  commander-in-chief 
accompanied,  proceeded,  on  the  same  day,  to  the  destruction  of 
the  Miami  towns  on  the  forks  of  the  Wabash.   The  object  of  each 
expedition  was  accomplished  without  opposition,  the  Indians  of 
those  tribes  having  abandoned  their  villages,  and  the  different 
detachments  returned  to  the  fort  on  the  18th. 

Several  Indian  tribes,  who  constantly  resisted  the  solicitations 
of  the  enemy  to  join  their  standard,  had  before  this  time  expressed 
their  desires  of  being  taken  into  the  service  of  the  United  Sttjt««s, 
arrangements  having  been  made  between  General  Harrison  anu 
the  executive  government,  which  authorized  him  to  employ  them, 
he  had  accepted  the  services  of  Logan,  a  chief  of  repuLition  as  a 


HARRISON    SUPERSEDED. 


78 


warrior,  and  wa«  accompanied  by  him  on  his  march  towards  Fort 
Wayne.  On  the  arrival  of  the  troops  at  that  place,  Logan  went 
forward  with  about  seven  hundred  men,  raised  an  Indian  yell, 
and  pursued  the  retreating  tribes.  This  signal  was  answered  by 
them,  at  the  distance  of  only  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards;  but 
the  intervention  of  the  river  and  several  other  obstacles,  prevented 
the  pursuit  being  attended  with  effect. 

General  Winchester,  of  the  United  States  army,  arrived  at 
Fort  Wayne  immediately  after  the  expedition  against  the  Indian 
villages,  and  the  command  of  the  detachments  under  General 
Payne  and  Colonel  Wells,  was  resigned  to  him  in  obedience  to 
the  orders  of  the  war  department.  The  volunteers,  who  had 
centred  all  their  affections  in  the  person  of  the  commander  of  their 
choice,  were  not  satisfied  with  this  change  until  General  Harri- 
son reminded  them  of  the  revolutionary  services  of  his  successor, 
and  communicated  to  them  the  instructions  from  the  department 
confirming  him  in  the  command  of  all  the  troops  but  those  which 
were  assigned  to  General  Winchester. 

The  strength  of  this  army  was  continually  augmenting.  Vo- 
lunteer associations  to  a  greater  number  than  it  was  politic  to 
receive  into  the  service,  were  formed,  equipped,  and  ready  to 
march  against  the  enemy  in  the  same  day,  and  a  selection  was 
made  from  among  them  of  such  a  force  as  was  at  that  time  re- 
quired, in  conjunction  with  the  troops  which  had  already  marched, 
to  make  the  army  complete.  But  such  was  the  patriotic  impetuo- 
sity of  the  western  people,  that  many  of  the  corps  who  were  not 
fortunate  enough  to  be  received,  immediately  provided  themselves 
at  their  own  expense,  and  insisted  upon  accompanying  their  fel- 
low-citizens to  the  field. 

The  siege  of  Fort  Wayne  having  been  raised  by  the  Indians, 
it  now  entered  into  the  views  of  the  two  generals  to  march  forces 
to  the  relief  of  the  intermediate  garrisons  between  that  place  and 
Detroit,  against  which  an  ultimate  movement  was  to  be  made ; 
the  leading  object  of  the  expedition  being  to  regain  the  ground 
which  had  been  lost,  and  to  retrieve  the  late  disaster,  not  only  by 
repossessing  that  fortress,  but  by  the  capture  of  Maiden  and  all 
the  great  rallying  points  of  the  northern  Indians.    Through  tho 


74 


LOSS    OF    LIGETT's    PARTY. 


r? " 


l!*; 
I 


exertions  of  the  indefatigable  governor  of  Ohio,*  every  necessary 
supply  was  forwarded  with  the  greatest  possible  despatch,  and 
General  Winchester  therefore  advanced  to  Fort  Defiance,  whilst 
General  Harrison  fixed  his  head-quarters  at  St.  Mary's;  distance 
from  each  other  sixty  miles.  The  troops  destined  for  Defiance 
amounted  to  about  two  thousand.  On  the  22d  of  September, 
they  marched  cautiously  in  three  divisions,  the  baggage  being  in 
the  centre,  and  a  company  of  spies,  under  Captain  Ballard,  pro- 
tected by  Garrard's  troop  of  dragoons,  about  one  or  two  miles  in 
front.  As  it  was  necessary  to  guard  against  surprise  from  a  watch- 
ful enemy,  whose  principle  it  is  to  assault  his  foe  while  sleeping, 
they  encamped  each  day  at  three  o'clock,  and  threw  up  breast- 
works around  the  tents,  at  ihe  distance  of  about  twenty  paces. 
On  the  fourth  day's  march,  Ensign  Ligett  of  the  regulars,  and 
four  of  the  volunteers,  proposed,  and  were  permitted  to  go  forward 
and  discover  the  strength  and  situation  of  the  enemy  at  Defiance, 
which  was  then  distant  about  twenty-five  miles.  But  their  enter- 
prise, which  was  too  hazardous  for  any  but  experienced  men,  en- 
tirely failed.  These  adventurous  young  men  were  assailed  on  the 
night  of  trie  '-iuch,  and  though  they  defended  themselves  until  their 
strength  "was  exhausted,  were  overpowered,  killed,  tomahawked, 
and  scalped  in  the  usual  barbarous  manner  of  the  Indians. 

On  the  27th,  Captain  Ballard,  who  was  reputed  in  that  army 
for  his  courage  and  prudence,  was  ordered  to  go  out  with  his 
company  of  spies,  supported  by  forty  of  Garrard's  dragoons,  and 
bury  the  bodies  of  the  young  men,  whose  death  was  now  known 
of  in  the  camp.  When  within  about  two  miles  of  the  spot  where 
they  had  been  killed,  Ballard  discovered  an  Indian  ambuscade, 
but  as  he  had  marched  his  men  in  two  divisions,  placing  one  on 

•  His  excellency,  Return  J.  Meigs,  afterwards  postmaster-veneral  of  the  Urited  States, 
whose  active  zeal  in  the  service  of  his  country  was  manifested  by  his  administration  of 
the  civil  affairs  of  the  state  over  which  he  presided,  before  and  after  the  commencement 
of  hostilitieH.  When  the  invasion  of  Ohio  was  threatened  by  General  Brock  after  he 
took  possession  of  Michigan,  Governor  Meigs,  with  incessant  diligence,  highly  honour- 
able to  his  patriotism,  equipped,  provided,  and  organized  one  army  after  another,  until 
the  safety  of  the  state  was  secured,  and  the  mass  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  devoted  ter- 
ntory  fled  to  him  for  protection.  Several  members  of  his  own  family  were  among  the 
Toluntecrs,  and  one  of  hia  brothers  was  one  of  the  three  men  killed  at  the  siege  of  Fort 
Wayne.  ' 


GENERAL    WINCHESTER    LEAVES    FORT  WAYNE.       75 

each  side  of  an  Indian  trace,  through  which  the  enemy  supposed 
the  volunteers  would  advance,  the  ambuscade  became  useless, 
and  the  Indians  succeeded  in  gaining  an  eminence;  whilst  they 
were  forming.  Captain  Ballard  gave  them  a  galling  fire,  which 
they  immediately  returned,  accompanied  by  a  loud  and  terrific 
yell.  Ballard  ordered  up  the  horse  and  charged  upon,  and  put 
them  to  the  route.  Pursuit  was  given,  but  the  enemy  knew  the 
country  better  than  the  dragoons,  and  escaped  into  the  swamps 
and  thickets  with  the  loss  of  four  or  five  wounded.  No  injury 
of  consequence  enough  to  name  was  sustained  by  the  volunteers. 
On  the  '"  3th,  Ballard's  spies  were  again  sent  forward,  and  dis- 
covered a  fresh  trail  of  Indians.  On  communicating  which  to 
the  general,  he  ordered  twenty  troopers  to  cross  the  river  to  as- 
certain whether  the  wagons  could  pass,  and  on  finding  a  tolerable 
ford,  the  whole  army  crossed  about  five  miles  above  Fort  De- 
fiance, and  encamped  on  its  bank.  At  one  hundred  yards  from 
the  edge  of  the  river,  another  trail  was  discovered,  when  Captain 
Garrard  was  despatched,  with  twenty  of  his  troops,  to  proceed 
and  ascertain  by  whom  it  was  made.  Three  miles  below  Genera] 
Winchester's  encampment,  and  two  miles  above  Defiance,  the 
enemy  were  observed  to  be  encamped  in  large  numbers,  with 
war  poles  erected  and  the  bloody  flag  flying.  When  the  army 
commenced  its  march  from  Fort  Wayne,  the  troops  were  provided 
with  six  days  rations  only,  but  Colonel  Jenning's  regiment  was  to 
meet  them  with  provisions  at  Fort  Defiance.  At  a  certain  point 
on  the  Aux  Glaize,  the  colonel  was  directed  to  halt  and  erect  a 
block-house,  which  having  done,  he  ascertained  by  his  spies,  that 
the  British  and  Indians  were  encamped  near  the  fort,  and  with- 
out reinforcements  it  would  have  been  imprudent  to  have  pro- 
ceeded further.  Late  on  the  night  of  the  29th,  he  therefore  for- 
warded an  express  to  General  Winchester,  to  make  known  his 
situation,  forty  miles  above  Fort  Defiance ;  and  as  the  troops  were 
now  nearly  starving,  Captain  Garrard  proceeded  with  great  de- 
spatch to  Colonel  Jenning's  regiment,  to  escort  with  his  dragoons, 
a  brigade  of  pack-horses  with  provisions  for  their  relief,  and 
effected  a  hazardous  tour  in  thirty-six  hours,  though  all  the  time 
drenched  with  incessant  rain. 

General  Winchester,  seeing  that  his  force  was  far  inferior  to 
60 


'■S[: 
■III  ''.f  f'  " 

tfjh  h' 


76 


WINCHESTER  S  EXPRESSES    TO    HARRISON. 


that  of  the  newly  discovered  enemy,  and  finding  himself  in  their 
immediate  vicinity,  despatched  expresses  to  General  Harrison 
at  the  St.  Mary's,  to  obtain  reinforcements,  and  to  apprize  him 
of  the  situation  of  the  left  wing.  Expecting  the  required  relief 
in  a  few  days,  he  put  his  encampment  in  a  stat«  of  defense,  by 
fortifying  himself  on  the  front  and  sides,  and  kept  out  reconnoi- 
tering  parties,  who  were  to  communicate  with  him  the  moment 
the  enemy  should  come  out  to  attack  him.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  enemy  had  possession  of  Fort  Defiance,  and  were  repairing 
and  enlarging  its  armament. 


® 


.ii  is 


m 


THE    BRITISH    EVACUATE    FORT    DEFIANCE. 


77 


CHAPTER     V. 
^jftthtxkni  of  Ceneraljs  |i?arrijton  anil  ^opiinn. 

ENERAL  HARRISON,  on  receiving  Ge- 
neral  Winchester's  despatch,  immediately 
took  up  his  march  with  General  Tupper's 
mounted  men,  and  arrived  at  the  encamp- 
ment near  Defiance,  when  he  moved  forward 
with  the  whole  force  to  attack  that  fort.  But 
(he  British  and  Indians  had  evacuated  it,  as  soon  as  they  heard 
of  his  approach,  and  taking  away  the  cannon  with  which  they 
had  increased  the  armament,  proceeded  down  the  Miami  to  thp 
npids.  The  mounted  men  were  ordered  to  pursue  the  retreating 
enemy,  and  to  destroy  their  encampment  at  that  place;  and 
General  Harrison  left  Fort  Defiance  on  the  6th,  to  join  the  right 
wing  of  the  army,  and  to  concentrate  the  whole  at  the  appointed 
rendezvous,  at  the  Miami  of  the  Lakes.  After  his  departure, 
General  Winchester  countermanded  the  order  to  General  Tupper, 
and  the  expedition  against  the  Indians  at  the  rapids,  was  conse- 
quently frustrated. 

Until  the  contemplated  concentration  could  be  effected,  no 
movement  could  be  made  which  would  promote  the  ultimate 
object  of  the  campaign,  and  the  troops  at  Fort  Defiance,  which 


78 


DEATH    0?    LOGAN. 


iji 


!l^ 


K  V 


.'!  ;i^ 


H:' 


now  assumed  the  name  of  Fort  Winchester,  remained  in  that 
garrison  until  the  14tli  of  December. 

In  this  interval,  Logan,  with  alwut  thirty  friendly  Indians,  at- 
tempted to  examine  the  movements  and  situation  of  the  enemy 
on  the  Miami,  where  his  party  was  discovered  and  dispersed. 
Logan  and  six  of  them  returned,  the  remainder  escaped  in  another 
direction. 

On  the  22d  of  November,  he  was  again  ordered  by  General 
Winchester,  to  take  two  Indians  and  go  forward  to  make  dis- 
coveries.    Early  in  the  day  they  were  met  and  captured  by  the 
celebrated  hostile  chief,  Wynemack,  and  a  party  of  five  Indians. 
Logan  resorted  to  a  stratagem,  by  which  he  persuaded  Wyne- 
mack that  he  had  come  to  join  him,  and  he  and  his  two  men 
were  therefore  allowed  to  carry  their  arms  and  march  in  front. 
Logan  having  communicated  to  his  comrades  his  determination 
to  rescue  himself  or  perish  in  the  effort,  they  suddenly  turned 
upon  their  enemy  on  the  first  opportunity,  and  each  brought  his 
man  to  the  ground ;  Wynemack  being  among  them.     The  re- 
maining three  fired  in  return,  shot  Logan  and  one  of  his  Indians 
and  retired.     Logan  exchanged  the  shot,  notwithstanding  his 
wound  was  mortal,  and  springing  with  his  wounded  companion 
upon  the  horses  of  two  of  those  whom  they  had  just  killed,  whilst 
his  third  man  protected  him  in  his  retreat,  he  returned  to  Fort 
Winchester.     On  the  28th  he  died,  with  the  firmness  of  a  brave 
warrior,  sincerely  regretted  by  the  whole  garrison,  who  knew  him 
to  be  a  distinguished,  and  considered  him  a  useful  leader.     At 
Franklinton,  General  Harrison  was  actively  employed  in  forward- 
ing ammunition,  pieces  of  ordnance,  ordnance  stores,  provisions, 
&c.,  and  arranging  depots  for  their  reception  on  the  road,  which 
was  designated  for  the  right  wing  of  the  army. 

On  the  18th  of  November,  he  sent  Lieutenant-Colonel  J.  B. 
Campbell  with  a  detachment  of  six  hundred  men  on  an  expedition 
against  the  Indians  of  the  Miami  tribes,  residing  in  the  Missis- 
sinewa  towns.  On  the  morning  of  the  17th  December  the  ,de- 
tachment  charged  on  the  first  of  those  towns,  drove  the  Indians 
across  the  Mississinewa  river,  killed  seven  warriors,  and  took 
Ihirty-seven  prisoners.  During  this  contest  a  part  of  the  detach- 
ment was  seiu  to  the  other  towns,  which  were  immediatelv 


TECUMSEH. 


79 


evacuated  by  the  inhabitants,  and  soon  after  destroyed  by  the  de- 
tachment, which  then  returned  to  the  ground  first  occupied.  On 
the  morning  of  the  18th,  at  dayhght,  the  camp  was  attacked  by  a 
number  of  Indians,  of  the  Miami  and  Delaware  tribes,  amounting 
to  about  three  hundred.  The  attack  commenced  on  the  right  of 
the  Une,  which  was  occupied  by  Major  Ball's  squadron  of  horse, 
who  gallantly  contended  against  them  for  one  hour,  and  sustained 
almost  the  whole  conflict.  The  Indians  then  fell  back,  and  were 
courageously  charged  by  Captain  Trotter  at  the  head  of  his  com- 
pany of  Kentucky  dragoons. 

In  this  charge  Captain  Trotter  was  wounded  in  the  hand  :  the 
Indians  fled  with  great  velocity,  and  were  pursued  as  far  as  was 
thought  prudent.  Captain  Pierce,  of  the  Zanesville  troop  was 
killed,  whilst  he  was  charging  the  foe.  Lieutenant  "Waltz  was 
shot  through  the  arm,  but  being  resolved  on  losing  no  share  of 
honour,  he  remounted  his  horse,  and  in  that  act  was  killed  by  a 
shot  through  the  head.  He  was  of  the  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 
Captains  Markle  and  M'Clelland  of  the  same  corps,  and  Captains 
Garrard  and  Hopkins  were  complimented  by  the  commanding 
general.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Simmerall,  Major  M'Dowell,  and 
Captains  Hite  and  Smith,  ;  said  to  have  distinguished  them- 
selves with  persevering  bravery;  and  the  whole  detachment 
exhibiting  throughout  a  great  degree  of  patience,  fortitude,  and 
coolness,  rendered  the  victory  more  honourable  to  the  American 
arms,  by  respecting  the  high  and  inestimable  principles  of  hu- 
manity, and  rendering  them,  as  th'3y  ever  ought  to  be,  inseparable 
from  bravery.  The  general's  orders,  on  their  departure,  were  to 
that  effect,  and  the  most  rigid  obedience  was  paid  to  them. 

The  battle  being  ended,  and  the  object  of  the  expedition  com- 
pletely accomplished.  Colonel  Campbell  took  up  his  march  for 
Greeneville  on  his  return,  having  first  forwarded  an  express  for 
reinforcements,  Tecumseh  being  reported  to  be  in  the  neighbour- 
ho(xl  with  five  hundred  warriors,  and  the  name  of  Tecumseh  had 
now  become  terrible.  If  the  detachment  should  be  intercepted 
an  obstinate  engagement  must  follow,  and  by  the  morning  report 
of  the  24th,  three  hundred  and  three  of  the  men  were  rendered 
unfit  for  duty  by  being  frost  bitten ;  an  attack  from  a  superioi 
body  of  Indians  could  not  therefore  be  sustained  with  any  pros- 


f  i 


Ik     '!   ■ 


\    I* 


80 


PREPARATIONS    OF    OENEP/i.     li/iRRlSON. 


pect  of  success.  The  detachment  reached  re^neville,  however, 
without  being  once  molested,  and  the  citizens  received  the  troops 
with  marks  of  admiration  for  their  gallantry,  and  for  the  lustre 
which  they  had  thrown  upon  the  north-western  arfny.  In  the 
destruction  of  the  first  town  the  American  loss  was  one  killed  and 
one  wounded.  In  the  action  of  the  following  morning,  eight 
killed  and  twenty-five  wounded ;  the  Indian  loss  in  killed  was 
known  to  be  forty,  the  number  of  wounded  could  not  bo  ascer- 
tained. The  prisoners  were  brought  away  by  the  detachment. 
It  has  been  thought  to  be  unaccountable  that  the  Indians  did  not 
attack  the  detachment  '»n  its  retrograde  movement,  but  this  cir- 
cumstance may  be  attributed  to  the  loss  of  their  prophet,  who 
it  is  supposed  by  many,  was  killed  in  the  second  engagement 

Notwithstanding  the  season  was  already  so  far  advanced,  and 
the  difficulties  in  marching  against  the  enemy  were  every  day 
increasing,  General  Harrison  was  too  steadily  determined  on  the 
recovery  of  Michigan,  and  the  subjugation  of  Maiden  and  the 
country  surrounding  it,  to  be  put  aside  from  his  views  by  any 
such  obstacles.  Every  implement  was  provided  which  might 
possibly  be  necessary,  the  military  stores  and  trains  of  artillery 
were  already  at  the  different  depots,  and  the  troops  from  Penn- 
sylvania being  at  Mansfield,  those  from  Virginia  at  Delaware,  and 
those  from  Ohio  at  Fort  M'Arthur,  the  purposed  concentration 
could  be  almost  immediately  effected.  General  Winchester  with 
the  left  wing,  moved  from  Fort  Winchester  to  the  Rapids,  in  con- 
formity to  the  previous  order  of  General  Harrison,  who  was  now 
commissioned  a  major-general  in  the  army  of  the  United  States, 
and  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  north-western  army.  A 
line  of  posts  was  to  be  established,  and  strong  fortifications  erected 
as  intermediate  places  of  rendezvous,  at  equal  distances  between 
Defiance  and  Detroit ;  and  that  he  might  with  more  convenience 
superintend  the  building  of  these,  the  commander-in-chief  fixed 
his  head-quarters  at  Upper  Sandusky. 

A  ])rigade  of  Kentuckians  had  been  sent  into  the  Indiana  ter- 
ritory, under  General  Samuel  Hopkins,  with  instructions  to  attack 
every  settlement  on  the  Wabash,  and  then  to  fall  upon  the  Illi- 
nois. On  the  1 1th  of  November  they  marched  from  Fort  Harri- 
son with  a  view  to  the  destruction  of  the  Prophet's  tovm    Seven 


commam 


5 


GENERAL    HOPKINS'    EXPEDITION. 


Bl 


boats,  with  provisions,  forage,  and  military  stores,  commanded  by 
Colonel  Barbour,  accompanied  the  expedition,  and  the  troop« 
marched  on  the  east  side  of  the  Wabash  to  protect  them,  until  the 
19th,  when  they  reached  the  town,  and  were  engaged  three  days 
in  the  destruction  of  it  and  a  large  Kickapoo  village  adjoining, 
while  General  Butler,  with  three  hundred  men,  surrounded  and 
destroyed  the  Winnebago  town  on  the  Ponce-passu  creek :  each 
of  these  towns  had  been  abandoned  by  the  Indian  warriors,  and 
a  small  party  was  sent  out  to  reconnoiter  the  surrounding  woods 
and  to  seek  out  their  hiding-places.  Several  Indians  showed 
themselves,  fired  on  the  party,  killed  one  man  and  compelled  the 
others  to  retire.  This  occurrence  was  no  sooner  made  known  to 
the  troops  than  sixty  horsemen  offered  to  proceed  to  the  ground 
to  bury  their  companion  and  to  encounter  tl.e  enemy.  When 
they  attained  the  point,  near  the  Indian  encampment,  they  were 
fired  upon  from  an  ambuscade  and  eighteen  of  the  party  were 
killed  and  wounded,  among  them  several  promising  young  offi- 
cers. The  enemy  had  taken  possession  of  a  strong  defensive 
position,  in  which  there  was  no  hope  of  effectually  assailing  him, 
having  a  deep  rapid  creek  in  its  rear  in  the  form  of  a  semicircle, 
and  being  fronted  by  a  high  and  almost  perpendicular  bluff  of 
one  hundred  feet,  which  could  only  be  penetrated  by  three  steep 
ravines.  The  death  of  these  gallant  young  men  excited  a  spirit 
of  revenge  among  the  troops,  and  they  moved  forward  under  a 
heavy  fall  of  snow,  determined  to  attack  the  enemy  in  his  strong- 
hold at  every  risk.  But  on  arriving  at  the  place  they  found  that 
the  Indians  had  evacuated  it  and  crossed  over  Ponce-passu  on 
their  retreat.  There  being  now  no  certain  point  to  which  the 
operations  of  the  troops  could  be  directed.  General  Hopkins  gave 
orders  for  their  return  to  Fort  Harrison,  where  they  arrived  after 
an  absence  of  sixteen  days,  having  in  that  time  traversed  one 
hundred  miles  of  a  country  of  which,  to  use  the  words  of  their 
commander,  they  had  no  cognizance. 


f 

■  1'  V' 


82    OPERATIONS  ON  THE  NORTHERN  FRONTIER. 


I!  ;■, 


'ri   A- 


CHAPTER   VI. 


'HILST  these  events  were  transpiring  in  the 
western  department  of  the  Union,  dispositions 
had  been  made  and  troops  collected  at  the 
different  stations  along  the  Niagara  river,  from 
Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario;  and  beyond  the 
latter  along  the  shore  of  the  St.  Lawrence. 
Excursions  from  the  American  to  the  British 
shores  of  the  rivers  liad  been  frequently  made,  and  on  some  oc- 
casions were  followed  by  smart  skirmishes.  The  chief  command 
of  these  forces  was  given  to  Major-General  Dearborn.  The  im- 
mediate command  of  the  troops  on  the  Niagara  to  Major-General 
Van  Renssellaer  of  the  mili^  ia  of  the  state  of  New  York.  Briga- 
dier-General Smyth  was  stationed  at  Black  Rock.  The  troops 
on  the  St.  Lawrence  were  principally  garrisoned  at  Ogdensburg, 
and  commanded  by  Brigadier-General  Brown,  also  of  the  New 
York  militia. 

On  the  15th  of  September  twenty-five  British  boats  passed 
Madrid  up  the  St.  Lawrence,  laden  with  military  stores  and  mu- 
nitions of  war.  About  one  hundred  and  forty  of  the  militia  from 
Ogdensburg  and  Hamilton,  with  one  gun-boat,  posted  themselves 
on  an  island  to  obstruct  their  passage.    The  enemy,  approaching 


f' 


CAPTURE    01^     GANANOQUE. 


b» 


the  head  of  the  river,  brought  himself  immediately  in  front  of  this 
island,  when  a  rapid  and  well-directed  fire  made  him  ply  for  the 
opposite  shore,  where  he  took  shelter  in  the  woods.  I'iie  militia 
had  no  small  boats  to  pursue  the  flying  squadron,  and  the  British 
had  time  to  rally,  to  procure  assistance,  and  to  return  to  a  con- 
test. This  they  did  with  little  delay,  and  after  an  action  of  three 
hours,  they  were  reinforced  by  two  gun-boats  and  a  largo  body 
of  men  from  Prescott.  The  militia  being  then  outnumbered,  their 
ammunition  nearly  exhausted,  and  their  loss  one  man  kilUid  and 
two  wounded,  abandoned  the  enterprise  and  retreated  to  their 
respective  quarters.  The  injury  sustained  by  the  enemy  has 
never  been  known. 

Captain  Forsyth  of  the  rifle  regiment  being  at  the  garrison  of 
Ogdensburg,  projected  an  expedition  against  a  small  villnge  in 
the  town  of  Leeds,  in  Canada,  cah^d  Gananoque.  In  this  village 
was  the  king's  storehouse,  containing  immense  quantities  of 
arms  and  ammunition,  and  Captain  Forsyth  was  resolved  on  ita 
destruction.  In  the  night  of  the  20th  instant,  therefore,  a  num- 
ber of  boats  being  provided,  he  embarked  with  seventy  of  his  own 
men,  and  thirty-four  militia  men.  Before  daylight  of  the  21st 
they  reached  the  Canadian  shore,  and  landed  unobserved  at  a 
little  distance  from  the  village.  The  enemy  soon  after  discovered 
them,  and  they  were  fired  on  by  a  party  of  one  huiidrod  and 
twenty-five  regulars  and  militia.  Forsyth  drew  up  his  men  and 
returned  their  fire  with  such  effect,  that  the  British  retreated  in 
disorder  and  were  pursued  to  the  village,  where  they  rallied  and 
resolved  on  making  a  stand,  and  disputing  the  passage  of  a 
bridge.  An  action  took  place  here  which  resulted  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  former.  The  enemy  again  fled,  making  his 
escape  over  the  bridge  and  lea\ing  ten  of  his  number  killed, 
eight  regulars  and  several  militia  men  prisoners,  and  the  village 
and  storehouse  in  possession  of  the  American  party.  Captain 
Forsyth  lost  one  in  killed  and  one  wounded.  After  releasing  the 
militia  prisoners  on  their  parole,  and  taking  out  a  quantity  of 
arms,  fixed  ammunition,  powder,  flints,  and  other  articles  of  public 
property,  and  setting  fire  to  the  storehouse,  he  returned  to  Cape 
Vincent  with  these  and  the  eight  regulars  prisoners. 

In  retaliation  for  this  daring  exploit  the  enemy  determiriod  on 


>-y 


S4 


if 

mil' 
I  t 


4 


i  I 


!■;■ 


^ 


:y  I 


ATTACK     ON    OGDENSBURG. 


DcTeiise  ofUgdensliurg. 

attacking  and  destroying  the  town  of  Ogdensburg.  Opposite  to 
this  is  situated  the  Canadian  village  of  Prescott,  before  which  the 
British  had  a  strong  line  of  breastworks.  On  the  2d  of  October 
they  opened  a  heavy  cannonading  on  the  town  from  their  bat- 
teries, and  continued  to  bombard  it  with  little  intermission  until 
the  night  of  the  3d ;  one  or  two  buildings  only  were  injured.  On 
Sunday  the  4th,  having  prepared  forty  boats,  with  from  ten  to 
fifteen  armed  men  in  each,  they  advanced  with  six  pieces  of  artil- 
lery  to  storm  the  town.  General  Brown  commanded  at  Ogdens- 
burg in  person,  and  when  the  enemy  had  advanced  within  a  short 
distance,  he  ordered  his  troops  to  open  a  warm  fire  upon  them. 
The  British,  nevertheless,  steadily  approached  the  shore,  and 
kept  up  their  fire  for  two  hours,  during  which  they  sustained  tlio 
galling  fire  of  the  Americans,  until  one  of  their  boats  was  taken, 
and  two  others  so  shattered  when  they  retreated. 

The  success  of  the  detachment  which  had  proceeded  against 
the  brigs  Detroit  and  Caledonia,  on  the  9th  of  October,  excited  a 


If 


EXPEDITION    AGAINST    QUEENSTOWN. 


85 


strong  spirit  of  enterprise  among  the  troops  at  the  different  star 
tions  along  the  Niagara.  The  whole  number  under  the  command 
of  General  Van  Renssellaer,  amounted,  as  it  is  said,  to  five  thou 
sand  eight  hundred,  and  were  disposed  of  in  the  following  manner. 
Two  thousand  and  nine  hundred,  with  which  he  v/as  himself 
stationed  at  and  near  Lewistown.  Thirteen,  hundred  regulars, 
under  General  Smyth,  near  Black  Rock,  distance  from  Lewis- 
town  twenty-eight  miles.  Five  hundred  militia  and  volunteers 
at  Black  Rock  and  Schlosser.  Six  companies  of  field  and  light 
artillery,  (three  hundred,)  and  about  five  hundred  of  the  0th  and 
13th  regiments,  and  three  hundred  of  the  23d,  under  Major  Mul- 
lany,  at  Fort  Niagara. 

The  general  was  pressed  from  all  quarters  to  give  the  troops 
an  opportunity  of  distinguishing  themselves,  and  his  own  opinion 
was  that  the  crisis  of  the  campaign  was  rapidly  advancing,  and, 
as  ho  informed  the  commander-in-chief,  "  That  the  blorv  must  he 
soon  struck  or  the  toil  and  expense  of  the  campaign  go  for  nothing, 
fw  the  whole  will  be  tinged  with  dishonour" 

NDER  these  circumstances,  and  in- 
fluenced by  these  impressions,  he  or- 
dered the  regulars,  under  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Fenwick  and  Major  Mullany,  to  leave 
Fort  Niagara  and  proceed  to  hit:-  L*  ad-quarters 
at  Lewistown.  I  he  same  orders  were  issued 
to  General  Smy^  'I's  brigade. — When  the  British 
General  Brock  had  made  arrangements  for 
the  civil  ':^'"'vernment  ?f  Michigan,  and  had 
appointed  such  officers  as  i^e  thought  necessary  to  its  admin- 
istration, he  transferred  the  command  of  Detroit  to  Colonel 
Proctor,  and  moved  his  own  quarters  to  Fort  George  that  he 
might  facilitate  the  preparations  on  the  Niagara  frontier.  But 
General  Van  Renssellaer  received  intelligence  which  was  thought 
to  warrant  a  movement  into  Canada,  and  was  at  the  same  time 
informed  that  General  Brock  had  returned  to  Detroit,  upon  hear- 
ing of  the  preparations  in  the  west  for  the  recovery  of  that  post, 
and  had  taken  with  him  such  troops  as  could  with  safety  be 
spared  from  Fort  Erie  and  Fort  George.    He  therefore  promised 


mm 
mm ' 


ml 


I  .       '    !, 


I  if' 


')'!^ 


I  -'ii: 


ElB 


EXPEDITION     AGAINST    QUEENSTOWN. 


his  army  that  they  should  cross  over  and  act  against  Queens- 
town,  and  it  was  for  this  purpose  that  the  regulars  were  ordered 
from  Fort  Niagara  and  the  Rock.  The  possession  of  Queens- 
town  was  important  to  the  success  of  the  American  arms  in 
Canada,  in  this  or  m  any  future  campaign.  It  is  a  handsome 
town,  below  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  at  the  head  of  the  naviga- 
ble waters  of  that  strait,  and  immediately  opposite  Lewistown,  a 
place  of  depot  for  the  merchandise  for  all  the  country  above,  and 
for  the  public  stores  for  the  line  of  posts  along  the  Niagara  and 
Detroit  rivers.  It  has  an  excellent  harbour  and  good  anchorage ; 
the  banks  on  both  sides  are  elevated,  and  the  landscape  is  among 
the  most  splendid  and  sublime. 

It  was  intended  that  the  attack  upon  Queenstown  should  be 
made  on  the  morning  of  the  llth  at  three  o'clock,  and  the  em- 
barkation was  to  take  place  from  the  old  ferry  opposite  the 
heights,  to  which  situation  experienced  boatmen  were  employed 
to  navicjate  the  boats  from  the  landing  below.  The  river  here  is 
one  sheet  of  violent  eddies,  and  an  officer  who  was  considered  to  be 
the  most  skilful  for  such  a  service  was  sent  ahead,  but  in  the  ex- 
treme darkness  of  the  night,  passed  the  intended  point  of  embarka- 
tion far  up  the  river,  and  very  unaccountably  fastened  his  boat, 
containing  nearly  all  the  oars  of  the  other  boats,  to  the  shore  and 
abandoned  the  detachment.  The  ardour  of  the  officers  and  men 
was  not  the  least  abated  through  the  night,  though  they  were 
exposed  to  a  tremendous  north-east  storm  which  prevailed  for 
twenty-eight  hours  and  in  that  time  deluged  the  whole  camp. 
But  they  were  mortified  by  this  distressing  dilemma,  and  tli(5 
appearance  of  daylight  having  extinguished  every  prospect  of 
success  the  detachments  returned  to  camp,  and  an  express  M^as 
sent  to  Black  Rock  to  countermand  the  orders  to  General  Smvth. 
The  miscarriage  of  the  plan  had  no  other  effect  than  to  increase 
the  ardour  of  the  troops,  and  they  impatiently  awaited  for  the 
arrival  of  orders  which  would  bring  them  into  personal  opposition 
with  their'enemy.  Arrangements  were  therefore  made  to  that 
effect,  and  the  night  of  the  12th  was  designated  for  the  operation. 
Two  columns,  one  of  three  hundred  militia,  under  Colonel  Van 
Renssellaer,  and  another  of  three  hundred  regulars,  under  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Christie,  were  to  pass  over  together.     Thirteen 


M 


SCOTT  S    ARRIVAL. 


87 


boats  were  provided  for  their  conveyance,  and  when  the  heights 
should  be  carried,  Lieutenant^Colonel  Fenwick's  flying  artillerj' 
were  to  cross  over,  then  Major  Mullany's  detachment  of  regulars, 
and  the  other  troops  to  follow  in  order.  Early  in  the  night 
Colonel  Christie  marched  his  detachment  by  the  rear  road  from 
Niagara  to  camp.  At  seven  in  the  evening  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Stranahan's  regiment  moved  from  Niagara  Falls ;  at  three  o'clock 
Mead's  regiment,  and  at  nine,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Blan's  regi- 
ment. Each  corps  was  in  camp  in  proper  time.  At  the  dawTi 
of  day  the  boats  were  in  readiness,  and  the  troops  embarked  early 
in  the  morning  of  the  13th,  under  cover  of  a  commanding  battery 
mounting  two  eighteen-pounders  and  two  sixes. 

Whilst  these  preparations  were  going  forward,  the  British  at 
Queenstown  were  surreptitiously  apprized  of  the  contemplated 
movement  of  the  American  troops,  and  they  despatched  expresses 
to  give  intelligence  to  General  Brock,  who  was  at  that  moment 
quartered  at  Fort  George.  The  heights  were  lined  with  troops, 
and  measures  were  instantly  adopted  to  repel  the  debarkation. 
The  boats  had  scarcely  put  oif  from  the  American,  before  they 
received  a  brisk  fire  of  musketry  from  the  whole  line  on  the 
Canadian  shore.  The  American  batteries  were  immediately 
opened  to  sweep  the  opposite  shore,  and  three  British  batteries 
played  with  great  severity  upon  the  boats. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott,  of  tlie  artillery,  who  had  marched 
with  uncommon  expedition  from  Niagara  Falls,  arrived  in  time 
to  reply  to  the  enemy's  fire  with  two  six-pounders.  The  eddies 
. .  the  river  were  violent,  the  shot  from  the  enemy  fell  in  heavy 
showers  on  the  boats,  and  the  difficulty  of  combating  the  former, 
and  avoiding  the  latter,  not  only  embarrassed  the  officers,  but  put 
many  of  the  oarsmen  into  confusion.  A  grape-shot  from  a  bat- 
tery below  Queenstown,  which  enfiladed  the  place  of  crossing, 
struck  the  boat  in  which  was  Lieutenant-Colonel  Christie, 
wounded  him  in  the  hand,  and  alarmed  the  pilot  and  boatmen  so, 
that  the  boat  fell  below  the  intended  place  of  landing  and  was 
obliged  to  return.  The  boats  in  which  Major  Mullany  followed 
the  two  columns  fell  also  below  the  point,  two  of  them  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy,  and  the  Major  returned.  But  Colonel  Van 
Renssollaer,  who  commanded  the  whole  detachment,  and  whose 


;i Villi 


86 


DETERMINATION    OF   THE    TROOPS. 


mam 


liattle  ut'  U'loi'ii^tiiwii. 


boats  formed  the  van,  moved  to  the  enemy's  shore,  succeeded  in 
touching  it  at  the  designated  place,  and  effected  the  landing  of 
the  van,  consisting  of  one  hundred  men,  under  a  tremendous  fire 
directed  upon  him  from  every  point.  In  ascending  the  banks 
the  colonel  received  four  balls.  Captain  Armstrong,  Captain 
Malcolm,  and  Captain  Wool,  were  wounded,  and  Ensign  Morris 
was  killed.  Lieutenant  Valance  was  killed  in  crossing.  A  party 
of  the  British  then  issued  from  an  old  fort  below  Queenstown, 
but  on  being  fired  on  by  the  Americans  immediately  retreated. 

A  strong  battery  which  fired  incessantly  upon  the  van,  obliged 
it  to  retire  under  the  banks,  where  lay  Colonel  Van  Renssellaer, 
who,  tho^igh  ID  excruciating  pain,  with  great  difficulty  stood  up 
and  ordesod  his  officers  to  proceed  with  rapidity  and  storm  the 
fort,  ami  i*^  possible,  lo  i'.cend  and  carry  the  heights.  The  men 
were  instantly  rallied.  Al)out  sixty  of  the  most  determined,  com- 
manded by  Captain  Ogilvie,  seconded  by  Captain  Wool,  though 
v/ounded,  and  Lieutenants  Kearny,  Carr,  Hugginan  and  Sam- 
moiis,  and  Ensign  Reeve,  of  the  13th ;  and  Lieutenants  Ganse- 
voort  and  Randolph,  cautiously  mounted  the  rocks  on  the  right 
of  the  fort,  gave  three  cheers,  assailed  and  reduced  it  a**ter  three 


GALLANT  CONDUCT  OF  CAPTAIN  WOOL. 


89 


desperate  cliarges  in  which  they  were  met  with  firmness ;  they 
then  carried  the  heights,  and  thus  gallantly  executed  the  whole 
order  of  the  colonel,  driving  the  enemy  down  the  hill  in  every 
direction.  A  party  of  them  retreated  behind  a  stone  guard-house, 
where  a  piece  of  ordnance  was  briskly  starved,  but  a  fire  from  the 
battery  at  Lewistown  was  so  effectually  directed  upon  it,  that  it 
was  in  a  few  minutes  silenced. 

HE  British  then  retreated  behind  a  large 
stone  -house.  The  American  artillery-men 
were  ordered  to  turn  the  guns  of  the  fort  upon 
them,  but  Lieutenant  Gansevoort  had  has- 
tily spiked  the  cannon  and  they  were  there- 
fore now  useless.  The  enemy's  fire  was 
silenced,  however,  with  the  exception  of  one 
gun,  which  was  out  of  reach  of  the  American  cannon,  and  the  boats 
were  crossing  unannoyed  but  by  this  battery.  Reinforcements  ar- 
rived afver  this  brilliant  success,  under  Captain  Gibson  of  the  light 
artillery,  Captain  M'Chesney  of  the  6th,  and  Captain  Lawrence  of 
tbe  13th  infantry,  and  Colonels  Mead,  Stranahan,  Allen,  and  other 
militia  officers.  At  about  ten  o'clock  the  British  line  was  reformed, 
and  flanking  parties  sent  out.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Christie  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  across  the  river  with  five  hundred  men  and  took 
command. 

General  Brock  having  received  the  expresses  which  were  for- 
warded to  him,  arrived  at  this  moment  at  the  head  of  a  reinforce- 
ment of  regulars  from  Fort  George.  He  had  led  them  around 
the  heights  to  the  rear  of  the  battery,  when  Captain  Wool  de- 
tached one  hundred  and  sixty  men  to  meet  them.  The  detach- 
ment was  driven  back,  bi '  being  immediately  reinforced  pressed 
forward  again,  and  was  again  driven  back  to  the  brink  of  the 
precipice  forming  the  Niagara  river  above  Queenstown.  Seeing 
that  nothing  short  of  a  miracle  could  save  the  detachment  from 
being  beaten ;  finding  that  the  party  were  nearly  without  ammu- 
nition, and  supposing  it  useless  to  sacrifice  the  lives  of  brave  men, 
one  of  the  officers  was  in  the  act  of  hoisting  a  white  flag  on  a 
bayonet  when  Captain  Wool,  knowing  that  if  the  men  held  out 
a  .short  while  longer  they  would  be  relieved  by  reinforcements, 


Mi' 


*  iiii 
'I  •'>  if 


i  ■'  ;!';'■■• 


IJ 


90 


DEATH    OF    GENERAL    BROCK. 


tore  down  the  flag,  and  ordered  his  officers  instantly  to  rally  the 
men  and  bring  them  to  a  charge. 

At  this  moment  Colonel  Christie  arrived  with  such  a  reinforce- 
ment as  made  the  detachment  amount  to  three  hundred  and 
twenty  men,  to  whom  he  immediately  repeated  the  orders  of 
Captain  Wool,  (whom  he  directed  to  leave  the  ground  to  get  his 
wound  dressed,)  led  them  on  to  the  charge  himself,  and  making 
a  forcible  appeal  to  the  bayonet,  entirely  routed  the  British  49th 
regiment  of  six  hundred  men,  and  pursued  them  up  the  height 
until  he  regained  the  ground  which  the  detachment  had  just 
before  lost.  Part  of  the  41st  were  acting  with  the  49th,  both  of 
which  regiments  distinguished  themselves  under  the  same  com- 
mander in  Europe,  and  the  latter  had  obtained  the  title  of  the 
Egyptian  Invincibles,  because  they  haa  never  on  any  occasion 
before,  been  known  to  give  ground. 

General  Brock,  indignant  almost  to  exasperation  at  the  flight 
of  this  regiment,  was  attempting  to  rally  them,  when  he  received 
three  balls  at  the  same  instant,  which  immediately  terminated  his 
brave  career.  His  aid.  Captain  M'Donald,  fell  at  his  side  mor- 
tally wounded.  At  about  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  Brigadier- 
General  Wadsworth  of  the  militia,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott  of 
the  artillery,  and  Major  MuUany  crossed  the  river,  and  took  the 
several  commands  which  haxl  been  assigned  to  them.  Captain 
Wool  obeyed  the  order  of  Colonel  Christie,  crossed  over  to  Lewis- 
town,  had  his  wounds  dressed,  and  returned  to  the  scene  of  action. 
General  Van  Renssellaer  had  crossed  over  to  Queenstown,  and 
considering  the  victory  complete  after  the  repulse  of  the  49th, 
and  the  death  of  General  Brock,  he  commenced  preparations  for 
encamping  in  the  enemy's  country.  But  in  ex[>ectation  of  fur- 
ther attacks  by  other  reinforcements,  he  directed  that  the  camp 
should  be  immediately  fortified,  and  committed  this  service  to 
Lieutenant  Totten,  a  skilful  oflicer  of  the  engineers. 

The  enemy  was  reinforced  at  three  o'clock  by  several  hun- 
dred Indians  from  Chippewa,  who,  under  the  direction  of  the 
British  in  the  town,  commenced  a  furious  attack  upon  the 
American  troops,  whose  whole  number  did  not  exceed  nine 
hundred  and  twenty.  As  they  approached  through  the  woods 
and  an  orchard,  the  troops  not  knowing  their  number,  at  first 


SHAMEFUL    CONDUCT    OF    THE    MILITIA. 


01 


faltered.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Christie  and  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Scott  behaved  with  great  coolness,  and  making  every  possi- 
ble exertion,'  led  the  men  promptly  on,  and  in  a  short  time 
the  Indians  being  routed,  fled  before  the  bayonet  and  rifle,  leav- 
ing several  dead  and  one  of  their  chiefs  a  prisoner.  General  Van 
Renssellaer  observing  that  the  troops  were  embarking  very  slowly, 
and  fearing  the  necessity  of  a  strong  accession  of  numbers,  crossed 
over  to  Lewistown  during  the  assault  of  the  Indians,  to  facilitate 
the  movements  of  the  militia.  Twelve  hundred  and  upwards  o 
them  were  standing  on  the  American  shore  inactive  and,  appar 
rently,  unconcerned  spectators  of  the  battle. 

At  the  very  moment  when  victory  was  perching  on  the  ban- 
ners of  their  country,  the  ardour  of  the  unengaged  troops  entirely 
subsided,  and  no  effort  could  induce  them  to  cross  the  line  and 
share  in  the  glory  of  the  day's  triumph.  Thrice  already  had  the 
battle  been  won ;  three  assaults  of  the  enemy  had  been  vigorously 
repulsed,  and  the  conquest  of  the  town  and  heights  must  neces- 
sarily follow.  One  third  part  of  the  disengaged  men  would 
secure  it,  but  they  had  witnessed  at  a  distance  the  furious  attack 
of  the  Indians,  they  had  seen  the  bodies  of  their  wounded  fellow 
soldiers  brought  back  to  the  garrison,  and  they  refused  to  go  fur- 
ther than  the  laws  of  their  country  authorized  the  general  to  com- 
mand them.  They  claimed  the  privileges  allowed  them  by  the 
laws  of  their  country,  whose  honour  and  renown  they  refused  to 
assist  in  promoting ;  they  beheld  as  gallant  exploits  as  the  world 
perhaps  ever  knew,  but  still  they  were  not  animated  by  the 
same  spirit  of  enthusiasm ,  nor  the  same  degree  of  valour.  Peremp- 
tory orders  were  disobeyed,  solicitations  disregarded,  and  all  argu- 
ment exhausted  to  bring  them  to  a  sense  of  that  duty  which  the 
general  vainly  hoped  had  urged  them  in  the  first  instance  to  press 
for  an  opportunity  to  act. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Bloom,  who  had  been  wounded  in  one  ot 
the  three  engagements,  mounted  a  horse  and  rode  among  them 
with  the  general,  but  his  example  had  no  more  eflfect  than  the 
general's  persuasions.  Meanwhile,  another  reinforcement  was 
seen  coming  up  the  river  from  Fort  George.  The  battery  on  the 
hill  was  considered  as  an  important  check  to  their  ascending  the 
heights,  and  measures  were  immediately  taken  to  send  them  a 
62 


■ 


Pi        I 

l!  -si!  ? 


S'^!i 


m  ^ 


9-2 


RETREAT    OF    THE     AMERICANS. 


fresh  supply  of  arms  and  ammunition.  The  reinforcementR. 
however,  obliqued  from  the  road  to  the  rig]  t,  and  formed  a  junc 
tion  with  the  Indians  in  th'3  rear  of  the  heights.  'The  American 
troops  being  scattered  in  pursuit  of  the  Indians,  lost  an  opportu- 
nity of  raking  the  reinforcing  column  as  it  approached  the  heights, 
and  were  taken  a  little  by  surprise. 

Knowing  that  the  troops  at  the  heights  must  be  nearly  ex* 
hausted,  and  their  ammunition  as  nearly  expended  ;  overwhelmed 
w  ith  mortification  and  disappointment  ;  the  refusal  of  the  militia 
to  cross,  and  seeing  that  another  severe  conflict  which  the  reduced 
detachment  could  i  t  long  sustain  without  great  loss  would  very 
.soon  take  place.  General  Van  Renssellaer  despatched  a  note  to 
General  Wadsworth,  acquainting  him  with  the  conduct  of  the 
militia  "  Leaving  the  course  to  be  pursued  much  to  his  own 
judgment,  with  an  assurance  that  if  he  thought  best  to  retreat,  he 
(General  Van  Renssellaer)  would  send  over  as  many  boats  as  he 
could  collect,  and  cover  his  retreat  by  every  fire  which  he  could 
possibly  make  with  safety."  The  last  British  reinforcement 
amounted  to  eight  hundred  men,  and  when  drawn  up  in  line  with 
their  light  artillery,  and  flanked  by  their  Indians,  at  about  four 
o'clorl*.  an  obstinate  contest  ensued,  and  was  kept  up  for  half  an 
horif,  with  a  tremendous  discharge  of  flying  artillery,  musketry, 
and  cannon,  until  the  American  detachment  finding  that  they 
were  not  to  be  reinforced,  their  strength  being  nearly  exhausted, 
and  those  of  the  militia  who  had  already  distinguished  themselves, 
being  unable  to  fight  longer,  received  orders  to  retreat  upon  the 
reception  of  General  Van  Renssellaer's  note,  which  they  did  in 
good  order,  down  the  hill  to  the  point  at  which  the}''  had  landed. 

Many  of  the  boats  had  been  destroyed,  others  had  beeii  taken, 
and  there  remained  but  four  or  five  to  take  the  whole  of  the  de- 
tachment to  Lewistown.  These  were  crossing  when  the  last 
affair  took  place,  and  the  boatmen  becoming  panic  struck,  had 
fled  from  their  duty,  and  the  boats  were  consequently  dispersed, 
so  that  few  of  the  Americans  escaped  from  the  Canada  shore.  In 
this  distressing  dilemma,  they  were  obliged  to  surrender  them- 
selves prisoners  of  war,  to  the  number  of  three  hundred  and 
eighty-six  regulars,  and  three  hundred  and  seventy-eight  militia; 
sixty-two  of  the  regulars  and  twenty  of  the  militia  being  wounded 


REMARKS    ON    THE    BATTLE. 


93 


The  estimate  of  killed  in  the  detachment  wa«  at  ninety.  When 
the  last  detachment  arrived  from  Fort  George  the  whole  Ameri- 
can force  was  formed  into  line,  in  three  divisions,  and  amounted 
to  only  two  hundred  and  forty  men,  the  militia  refusing  to  act 
longer,  and  many  of  the  regulars  being  then  already  wounded. 
The  victorious  enemy  treated  their  prisoners,  while  on  the  fron- 
tier, with  the  most  generous  tenderness,  but  for  want  of  will  or 
power,  they  put  no  restraint  upon  their  Indian  allies,  who  were 
stripping  and  scalping  not  only  the  slain,  but  the  dying  that  re- 
mained on  the  field  of  battle.  T'  o  lifeless  body  of  Ensign  Morris, 
who  was  brother  to  the  amiahi-  and  distinguished  naval  officer 
of  that  name,  was  stripped  t*  '^l  t,  and  indignities  too  savage 
to  be  recorded  were  conimi'  n  his  person.    The  body  of 

General  Brock  was  committed  to  the  grave  with  the  usual  mili- 
tary honours,  and  the  guns  at  Fort  Niagara  were  fired  during  the 
ceremony  as  a  tribute  of  respect  for  a  gallant  enemy. 

There  was  no  officer  crossed  the  line,  upon  this  memorable 
day,  who  did  not  do  honour  to  his  country.  Colonel  Scott  was 
in  full  aress,  which  with  his  tall  stature  rendered  him  a  conspi- 
cuous mark  for  the  enemy — it  has  been  said  that  several  Indiany 
told  him  of  their  having  shot  at  him,  but  he  received  no  wound 
A.  company  of  volunteer  riflemen  under  Lieutenant  Smith,  who 
took  the  Indian  chief,  behaved  with  the  courage  of  veterans. — 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Fenwick  was  wounded  three  diffi^.rent  times, 
and  each  time  severely ;  he  nevertheless  continued  fighting,  and 
was  particularly  distinguished  through  the  whole  day's  engage- 
ment.— Captains  Gibson,  Wool,  and  M'Chesney,  have  been  spoken 
of  as  having  done  the  same. 

The  British  forces  in  the  different  battles,  with  the  exception 
of  the  first,  was  at  no  time  less  than  eleven  hundred ;  in  the  last 
and  fourth  engagement  it  was  much  greater.  Their  loss  is  not 
known.  With  regard  to  close  and  courageous  fighting,  the  vic- 
tory on  this  occasion  belonged  to  the  Americans ;  but  with  regard 
to  the  loss  which  was  sustained,  it  was  exclusively  yielded  to  the 
British.  An  arrangement  was  entered  into  on  the  14th  by  which 
a  few  prisoners  were  paroled,  the  remainder  were  taken  to 
Montreal. 

Whilst  the  troops  were  embarking  at  Lewistown  in  the  mom 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  U5S0 

(716)872-4503 


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94 


ATTACK    ON    BLACK    ROCK. 


i^i' 


I    n 


III'  ':'i  *'! 


ing,  the  batteries  at  Fort  George  opened  a  cannonade  upon  Fort 
Niagara,  which  was  returned  and  kept  up  with  hot  shot  on  both 
sides  for  several  hours.  From  the  south  block-house  of  the 
American  fort  the  shot  was  principally  directed  against  the  vil- 
lage of  Newark,  and  several  houses  were  set  on  fire,  one  or  twtf 
of  whiph  were  entirely  consumed.  This  battery  was  commanded 
by  Captain  M'Keon,  and  the  guns  were  worked  with  great  abili- 
ty. The  enemy  comnlenced  throwing  shells,  as  there  were  no 
'  defenses  against  these.  Captain  N.  Leonard,  the  commandant  at 
Fort  Niagara,  preferred  ordering  a  retreat  from  the  garrison  rather 
than  expose  a  handful  of  men  to  their  danger.  The  bursting  of 
a  twelve-pounder,  by  which  two  men  were  killed,  deprived  the 
fort  of  its  best  battery.  The  retreat  had  scarcely  been  ordered, 
when  a  number  of  boats  loaded  with  troops,  were  observed  to  put 
off  from  the  enemy's  shore,  upon  which  Captain  M'Keon  returned 
to  the  fort  with  a  guard  of  twenty  men,  remained  in  it  during  the 
night,  and  was  joined  next  morning  by  the  rjest.  of  the  garrison. 
Very  few  were  wounded,  and  none  killed  except  the  two  men  by 
the  bursting  of  the  gun. 

Early  in  the  following  week  the  British  batteries  below  Fort 
Erie  opened  a  very  heavy  fire  upon  the  village  and  fortifications 
of  Black  Rock,  and  kept  it  up  at  intervals  during  the  day.  There 
being  no  larger  pieces  than  sixes  at  the  breastworks,  very  few 
shot  were  returned.  Several  cannon-shot  struck  the  battery,  and 
two  or  three  passed  through  the  upper  loft  of  the  west  barracks. 
The  east  barracks  were  destroyed  by  a  bomb  thrown  from  a 
twenty-four-pounder,  which  blew  up  the  magazine,  and  burnt  a 
quantity  of  the  skins  taken  in  the  Caledonia.  General  Porter,  of 
the  New  York  militia,  was  sitting  at  dinner  in  his  quarters,  when 
one  twenty-four-pound  ball  struck  the  upper  loft  of  his  house,  and 
another  entered  it  through  the  roof. 

On  the  22d  the  enemy  landed  at  St.  Regis,  a  village  without  a 
garrison  of  any  kind,  and  from  which  he  could  move  imme- 
diately upon  the  camp  at  French  Mills.  The  tribe  of  Indians 
inhabiting  the  village  were  friendly  to  the  United  States,  and  as  it 
entered  into  the  views  of  the  enemy  to  pursuade  them  from  the  ser- 
vice of  the  American  government  into  which  they  might  probably 
outer,  and  to  flatter  them  into  their  own,  Sir  George  Prevost,  under 


BATTLE    OF    ST.    REGIS. 


w 


the  autnority  with  which  he  was  clothed,  had  forwarded  to  this 
trihe,  in  the  form  of  a  present,  a  quantity  of  baggage,  consisting  ot 
blankets,  guns,  specie,  &o.,  under  an  escort  of  soldiers,  and  ac- 
companied by  despatches,  in  which  he  solicited  their  alliance. 
The  force  was  variously  stated  from  one  to  three  hundred,  and 
Major  Young,  commanding  the  American  militia  from  Troy,  at 
the  Mills,  determined  on  immediately  attacking  them,  as  it  was 
understood  they  were  halting  there  for  an  increase  of  numbers. 
He  detached  Captain  Tilden  to  the  St.  Lawrence,  with  a  view 
of  gaining  a  circuitous  route  to  one  of  two  houses  in  which  the 
British  were  said  to  be  quartered,  and  to  secure  the  enemy's  boats 
which  were  stationed  there,  to  prevent  his  retreat.  Captain  Lyon 
was  detached  with  orders  to  take  the  road  running  along  the  bank 
of  the  river  St.  Regis,  with  directions  to  gain  the  rear  of  the  other 
house,  and  Major  Young  with  the  remainder  of  the  forces  moved 
on  in  front.  When  within  fifty  yards  of  either  house,  he  heard 
a  firing  which  convinced  him  that  Captain  Lyon  was  engaged. 
One  round  was  sufficient.  The  enemy  surrendered,  but  not  to 
the  number  reported  to  have  landed,  and  the  Americans  made 
forty  prisoners,  and  took  one  stand  of  colours,  thirty-eight  mus- 
kets, the  despatches,  and  all  the  baggage.  Two  batteaux  were 
taken  by  Captain  Tilden,  and  the  troops  returned  to  their  encamp- 
ment at  about  eleven  o'clock.  The  British  lost  four  killed  and 
one  mortally  wounded. 

At  one  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  17th  November,  four 
British  barges  approached  the  American  shore,  about  a  mile 
above  Ogdensburg,  and  on  being  hailed  by  a  sentinel  and  refusing 
to  answer,  were  immediately  fired  upon.  The  report  of  his  piece 
brought  several  riflemen  to  his  assistance,  when  the  barges  opened 
a  smart  fire  of  grape-shot,  without  effect,  and  soon  alter  retired 
to  Prescott  harbour.  On  their  way  thither  they  fired  several  shot 
into  the  town,  which  were  returned  by  a  six-pounder. 

This  affair  was  followed  on  the  night  of  the  19th  by  an  incur- 
sion seven  miles  into  the  British  territory  by  Colonel  Pike  and  a 
part  of  the  15th  regiment.  He  assaulted  and  carried  a  post  which 
was  defended  by  a  large  body  of  British  and  Indians,  burned  a 
block  house,  and  put  the  garrison  to  flight,  and  returned  with  the 
loss  of  five  men  wounded. 


96 


BOMBARDMENT    OF    FORT   NIAGARA. 


WM 


If: 


C-iMiS 


•'"♦if. 


At  six  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  21st,  the  British  having 
prepared  mortars,  and  planted  a  long  train  of  battering  cannon 
behind  breastworks  erected  on  the  margin  of  the  river,  com* 
menced  a  bombardment  of  Fort  Niagara,  and  opened  a  cannonade 
from  the  batteries  at  and  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Fort  George, 
which  was  kept  up  without  a  moment's  cessation  until  sundown. 
They  employed  five  detached  batteries  in  this  affair.  Two  of 
them  mounting  twenty-four-pounders,  and  one  mounting  a  nine- 
pounder.  The  remainder  were  mortar  batteries,  from  five  and  a 
half  to  ten  and  a  half  inches,  from  which  were  thrown  great 
quantities  of  shells.  These  fortresses  are  situated  nearly  opposite 
each  other,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara  river,  and  command  the 
entrance  from  Lake  Ontario.  The  guns  of  Fort  Niagara  may  be 
brought  to  bear  alternately  upon  Fort  George  and  the  town  of 
Newark,  whilst  a  salt-battery,  being  a  dependency  of  Fort  Nia- 
gara and  mounting  one  eighteen  and  a  four-pounder,  is  directly 
in  a  range  with  and  calculated  to  do  much  damage  to  the  enemy's 
garrison. 

The  American  fort  had  received  an  augmentation  of  force  im- 
mediately after  the  cannonade  of  the  13th,  several  corps  who  had 
marched  to  Lewistown,  having  been  ordered  after  the  battle  of 
Queenstown,  to  relieve  the  garrison,  but  it  was  not  yet  supplied 
with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  artillery  and  ammunition.  It  was 
now  commanded  by  Colonel  George  M'Feeley.  In  the  course 
of  the  day  the  enemy  threw  two  thousand  red-hot  balls,  and  one 
hundred  and  eighty  shells.  The  shells  proved  to  be  harmless, 
but  the  hot  shot  set  fire  to  several  buildings  which  were  within 
and  about  the  fort,  but  through  the  incessant  vigilance  of  all  the 
officers  and  men,  but  particularly  of  that  gallant  officer.  Major 
Armistead,  of  the  United  States  corps  of  engineers,  who  has  on 
many  other  occasions  distir  squished  himself,  the  fires  were  got 
under  and  extinguished,  v-       ut  being  discovered  by  the  enemy. 

Notwithstanding  the  vaot  shower  of  shells  and  cannon  balls 
which  was  falling  into  the  fort,  the  garrison  performed  their  duty 
with  unremitting  alacrity,  and  served  their  pieces  with  coolness 
and  composure.  Captain  M'Keon  commanded  a  twelve-pounder 
in  the  south-east  block-house;  Captain  Jacks,  of  the  7th  militia 
artillery,  commanded  in  the  north  block-house,  a  situation  most 


piPi    r- 


exposed  t( 
leiy,  had 
battery,  ft 
the  piece 
twenty-foi 
had  comxL 
tery;  Dr. 
pounder  c 
Harris,  of  1 
disposed  t 
effect.    T] 
ark,  and  n 
Fort  Georj 
was  silenc 
his  left  she 
for  him  to 
that  mome 
Hees's  bati 
The  con 
of  the  men. 
the  cannon 
son  in  verj 
Armistead, 
bardment  : 
others  wert 
and  four  m 
was  very 
there  sunk 
was  the  sp: 
tory,  that  -w 
had  fired 
waistcoats 
their  guns 
An  insta 
son  in  the 
and  courag 
of  Orleans, 
United  Sta 


BOMBARDMENT   OF    FORT   NIAGARA. 


99 


exposed  to  the  enemy's  fire.  Lieutenant  Rees,  of  the  3d  artU- 
lery,  had  command  of  an  eighteen-pounder  on  the  south-east 
battery,  from  which  several  well-directed  shot  were  made  whilst 
the  piece  was  pointed  at  the  battery  en  barbette,  mounting  a 
twenty-four-pounder.  Lieutenant  Wendal,  of  the  same  regiment, 
had  command  of  an  eighteen  and  four-pounder  on  the  west  bat- 
tery ;  Dr.  Hooper,  of  the  miUtia  artillery,  had  command  of  a  six- 
pounder  on  the  mess-house,  and  Lieutenants  Gansevoort  and 
Harris,  of  the  1st  artillery,  had  command  of  the  salt-battery.  Thus 
disposed  they  returned  the  fire  of  the  enemy  with  vigpur  and 
effect.  They  directed  several  of  the  pieces  at  the  town  of  New- 
ark, and  repeatedly  fired  it  with  hot  shot.  The  buildings  within 
Fort  George  were  also  fired,  and  at  one  time  one  of  the  batteries 
was  silenced.  A  part  of  the  parapet  billing  on  Lieutenant  Rees, 
his  lefl  shoulder  was  so  severely  bruised  that  it  became  necessary 
for  him  to  quit  his  station,  and  Captain  Leonard,  happening  at 
that  moment  to  arrive  at  the  fort,  took  command  of  Lieutenant 
Rees's  battery  for  the  remainder  of  the  day. 

The  continuation  of  the  bombardment  increased  the  animation 
of  the  men,  and  they  fought  with  undiminished  cheerfulness  until 
the  cannonading  ceased.  Colonel  MTeely  spoke  of  all  the  garri- 
son in  very  strong  terms,  and  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gray,  Major 
Armistead,  and  Captain  MuUigan  particularly.  During  the  bom- 
bardment a  twelve-pounder  bursted  and  kiUed  two  men.  Two 
others  were  killed  by  the  enemy's  fire,  and  Lieutenant  Thomas 
and  four  men  were  wounded.  From  the  salt-battery  the  enemy 
was  very  much  annoyed.  A  few  shot  from  the  four-pounder 
there  sunk  a  schooner  which  lay  at  the  opposite  wharf,  and  such 
was  the  spirited  earnestness  of  both  officers  and  men  at  this  bat- 
tery, that  when  in  the  most  tremendous  of  the  bombardment  they 
had  fired  away  all  their  cartridges,  they  cut  up  their  flannel 
waistcoats  and  shirts,  and  the  soldiers  their  trousers  to  supply 
their  guns. 

An  instance  of  extraordinary  bravery  took  place  in  the  garri- 
son in  the  hottest  of  the  cannonade,  and  for  deliberate  coolness 
and  courageous  fortitude,  was  surpassed  neither  by  Joan,  maid 
of  Orleans,  nor  the  heroine  of  Saragosa. — ^Doyle,  a  private  m  the 
United  States  artillery,  who  had  been  stationed  in  the  fort,  was 


'■W 


100 


OPERATIONS   OF    GENERAL    SMYTH. 


msule  prisoner  in  the  battle  of  Queenstown.  His  wife  remained 
in  the  garrison,  and  being  there  on  the  2l8t,  she  determined  to 
resent  the  refusal  of  the  British  to  parole  her  husband,  bj  proffer- 
ing her  services,  and  doing  his  duty  against  the  enemy  whenever 
the  works  should  be  assailed ;  and  she,  accordingly,  attended  the 
six-pounder  on  the  mess-house  with  hot  shot,  (regardless  of  the 
sho.ls  which  were  falUng  around  her,)  and  never  quitted  her  star 
tion  until  the  last  gun  had  been  discharged. 

General  Van  Renssellaer  having  resigned  his  command  on  tne 
Niagara,  General  Smyth  now  contemplated  a  more  effectual  inva- 
sion of  Canada  than  that  which  had  so  recently  failed.  From  a 
description  of  the  river  below  the  falls,  the  view  of  the  shore  below 
Fort  Erie,  and  from  information  which  he  had  received  of  the 
enemy's  preparations.  General  Smyth  was  of  opinion  that  the 
landing  should  be  effected  between  Fort  Erie  and  Chippewa. 
This  opinion  he  had  delivered  to  General  Van  Renssellaer  before 
the  battle  of  Queenstown,  and  being  in  command,  he  was  resolved 
that  it  should  now  be  acted  upon.  The  troops  stationed  at  Black 
Rock  and  Buffalo  were  equally  desirous  of  engaging  the  enemy, 
and  the  general  promised  them  conquest  and  renown.  In  order 
that  he  might  visit  the  Canadian  shore  with  a  force  competent  to 
retain  the  posts  which  might  be  captured,  he  desired  to  increase 
his  numbers  by  such  an  accession  of  volunteers,  as  would  be  vril- 
ling  to  perform  one  month's  service  in  the  army,  to  submit  to  the 
rigid  discipline  of  a  camp,  and  to  encounter  the  enemy  on  his  own 
soil.  He  immediately  communicated  his  intentions  by  a  procla- 
mation, issued  on  the  10th  of  November,  circulated  in  the  coun- 
ties of  Seneca  and  Ontario,  and  inviting  persons  thus  disposed  to 
place  themselves  under  his  authonty. 

This  proclamation  produced  the  intended  effect.  It  held  forth 
great  allurements,  and  appealed  to  the  patriotism  of  the  American 
citizens.  Under  this  proclamation  numbers  of  volunteers  came 
forward  with  the  expected  alacrity,  and  on  the  27th  of  November 
the  force  collected  at  the  station  amounted  to  four  thousand  and 
five  hundred  men,  including  the  regular  troops,  and  the  Baltimore, 
Pennsylvania,  and  New  York  volunteers,  the  latter  being  placed 
under  the  command  of  General  Peter  B.  Porter,  of  the  militia. 
On  the  following  morning  at  reveille,  the  whole  fcce  was  to  em- 


PREPARATIONS  OF  GENERAL  SMYTH. 


101 


General  Porter. 


bark  from  the  navy-yard  at  Black  Rock  and  to  proceed  on  the 
contemplated  expedition. 

No  possible  preparation  was  omitted.  At  the  navy-yard  there 
were  lying  for  the  purpose  of  transporting  the  troops  across  the 
river,  seventy  public  boats  calculated  to  carry  forty  mon  each,  five 
large  private  boats,  which  were  taken  into  the  publV*  ?i3rvice  cal- 
culated to  carry  one  hundred  men  each,  and  ten  sec  vs  for  the 
artillery  to  carry  twenty-five  each,  which,  together  with  a  num- 
ber of  small  boats  which  were  also  provided,  were  to  transport  the 
whole  of  this  army.  After  informing  the  citizens  that  for  many 
years  they  had  seen  their  country  oppressed  with  numerous 
wrongs ;  their  government,  though  above  all  others  devoted  to 
peace,  had  been  forced  to  draw  the  sword  and  rely  for  redress  of 
injuries  on  the  valour  of  the  American  people,  and  that  that 
valour  had  in  every  instance  been  conspicuous ;  his  proclamation 
continued  in  the  following  words :  "  But  the  nation  has  been  un- 
fortunate in  the  election  of  some  of  those  who  have  directed  it 


lOS 


OENBRAL  Smyth's  proclamation. 


t 


SI 


m 


One  army  has  been  disgracefully  surrendered  and  lost.  Another 
has  been  sacrificed  by  a  precipitate  attempt  to  pass  over  at  the 
strongest  point  of  the  enemy* s  lines  rvith  most  incompetent  means. 
The  cause  of  these  miscarriages  is  apparent.  The  commanders- 
were  popular  men, '  destitute  alike  of  theory  and  experience'  in 
the  art  of  war.  In  a  few  days  the  troops  under  my  command  will 
plant  the  American  standard  in  Canada.  They  are  men  accus 
tomed  to  obedience,  silence,  and  steadiness.  They  will  conquer, 
or  they  will  die.  Will  you  stand  with  your  arms  folded  and  look 
on  this  interesting  struggle?  Are  you  not  related  to  the  men 
who  fought  at  Bennington  and  Saratoga?  Has  the  race  degene- 
rated? Or  have  you,  under  the  baneful  influence  of  contending 
passions,  forgot  your  country?  Must  I  turn  from  you  and  ask 
the  men  of  the  Six  Nations  to  support  the  government  of  the 
United  States?  Shall  I  imitate  the  officers  of  the  British  king, 
and  suffer  our  ungathered  laurels  to  be  tarnished  by  ruthless 
deeds?*  Shame,  where  is  thy  blush?  No.  Where  I  command, 
the  vanquished  and  the  peaceful  man,  the  maid  and  the  matron, 
shall  be  secure  from  wrong  If  we  conqueri  'we  will  conquer 
but  to  save' 

"  Men  of  New  Yorkf 
"  The  present  is  the  hour  of  renown.  Have  you  not  a  wish  lor 
feme?  Would  you  not  choose  in  future  times  to  be  named  as 
one,  who,  imitating  the  heroes  whom  Montgomery  led,  have,  in 
spite  of  the  season,  visited  the  tomb  of  the  chief,  and  conquered 
the  country  where  he  lies?  Yes,  you  desire  your  share  of  fame. 
Then  seize  the  present  moment.  If  you  do  not,  you  will  regret 
it:  and  say,  'the  valiant  bled  in  vain — the  friends  of  my  country 
fell^-and  I  was  not  there !'  advance  then  to  our  aid.  I  will  wait 
for  you  a  few  days.  I  cannot  give  you  the  day  of  my  departure. 
But  come  on.  Come  in  companies,  half  companies,  or  singly.  I 
will  organize  you  for  a  short  tour.  Ride  to  this  place  if  the  dis- 
tance is  far,  and  send  back  your  horses.  But  remember,  that 
every  man  who  accompanies  us  places  himself  under  my  com- 
mand, and  shall  submit  to  the  salutary  restraints  of  discipline." 

*  It  wai  aboat  thia  time  underatood  that  a  number  of  friendly  Indiana  propoaed  to  be 
tdi«D  into  General  Smyth's  army,  but  that  he  explicitly  refused  to  let  them  accompany 
Urn  into  Canada. 


PREPARATIONS    TOR    INVADING    CANADA. 


103 


CCOMPANYING  a  second  proclamatiou  of 
General  Smyth,  of  the  17th  of  November,  in 
which  was  recapitulated  most  of  the  appeal 
of  the  former,  and  in  which  he  set  forth  that 
"  disloyal  and  traitorous  men  had  endeavoured 
to  persuade  the  people  from  doing  their  duty," 
was  an  address  from  General  Porter  to  the 
people  of  Ontario  and  Genessee,  in  which  he  informed  them  that 
General  Smyth  had  a  powerful  army  at  Buffalo,  under  strict  dis- 
cipline, in  high  spirits,  and  eager  for  the  contest.  That  with  this 
army  he  would  in  a  few  days  occupy  all  the  British  fortresses  on 
the  Niagara.  That  as  humanity  suggested  that  this  conquest 
should  be  achieved  with  the  least  possible  sacrifice.  General 
Smyth  had  asked  their  aid  and  co-operation  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  a  force  that  would  overawe  opposition  and  save  the 
effusion  of  blood.  That  he  intended  himself  to  accompany  the 
expedition ;  that  a  vigorous  campaign  of  one  month  would  relieve 
their  fellow-citizens  of  the  frontier  from  their  sufferings,  drive  off 
the  savage  knife,  restore  peace  to  the  whole  of  that  section  of  the 
country,  and  redeem  the  tarnished  reputation  of  the  nation. 

A  large  number  of  troops  were  now  assembled  at  and  near  Buf- 
falo, where  they  were  drilled,  equipped,  and  organized  for  the 
intended  invasion.  Ten  boats  were  appointed  to  precede  the 
main  body,  to  effect  a  landing,  and  to  storm  and  carry  the  enemy's 
batteries.  A  number  of  sailors  were  engaged  to  navigate  the 
boats,  under  command  of  Lieutenant-Commandant  Samuel  Angus 
of  the  navy,  assisted  by  Lieutenant  Dudley,  Sailing-Master 
Watts,  who  had  distinguished  himself  in  cutting  out  the  Caledo- 
nia, and  several  other  naval  officers.  At  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  28th,  these  boats  put  off  from  the  American  shore, 
but  tiiey  had  not  proceeded  one-fourth  of  the  way  across  when 
the  British  batteries  opened  a  galling  fire,  and  five  of  them  were 
obliged  to  return.  In  one  of  these  was  Colonel  Winder  of  the 
14th  infantry,  who  commanded  the  troops  to  whom  this  hazard- 
ous duty  was  assigned.  The  command  of  the  14th  devolved 
therefore  upon  Lieutenant-Colonel  Boerstler,  who  was  in  one  of 
the  advance  boats  with  several  resolute  infantry  ofiicers.    A  se- 


104 


CAPTURE    OF    BRITISH    BATTERIES. 


MM 

liljf'i'Vk'),    ' 


vere  fire  of  musketry  and  grapenshot  from  two  pieces  of  flying 
artillery  was  poured  upon  this  part  of  the  squadron,  but  they 
effected  their  landing  in  good  order,  formed  on  the  shore,  and 
advanced  to  the  accomplishment  of  their  object. 

Lieutenant-Commandant  Angus  and  his  officers,  assisted  by 
Samuel  Swartwout,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  an  enterprising  citizen 
who  happened  to  be  at  the  station,  acted  as  volunteers  after  the 
landing  of  the  troops,  and  joining  their  little  band  of  sailors  to  the 
regulars  under  Captain  King  of  the  15th,  they  stormed  the  ene- 
my's principal  batteries  and  drove  him  to  the  Red-house,  where 
he  rallied  with  two  hundred  and  fifty  men  and  commenced  a 
rapid  fire  of  musketry  upon  the  assailants.  Sixty  regulars  and 
fifty  sailors  composed  the  whole  American  force.  The  success  at 
the  battery,  the  guns  of  which  were  spiked,  was  followed  up  by 
a  desperate  assault  on  the  Red-house.  The  sailors  charged  with 
boarding-pikes  and  cutlasses,  the  regulars  with  the  bayonet,  and 
after  a  hard  and  destructive  engagement  they  routed  the  enemy, 
fired  the  house  in  which  he  quartered,  and  made  about  fifty  pri- 
soners. Lieutenant-Colonel  Boerstler  attacked  and  dispersed  the 
enemy  lower  down  the  river,  and  took  also  several  prisoners. 
Every  battery  between  Chippewa  and  Fort  Erie  was  now  car- 
ried, the  cannon  spiked  or  destroyed,  and  sixteen  miles  of  the 
Canadian  frontier  laid  waste  and  deserted.  The  boats  returned 
with  the  wounded  and  the  prisoners,  leaving  Captain  King  and 
twelve  men,  who  were  so  anxious  to  complete  the  destruction  of 
every  breastwork  and  barrack  of  the  enemy  that  they  resolved 
on  remaining  in  possession  of  the  conquered  ground  until  the  main 
body  of  the  army  should  cross  over  the  strait  and  march  to  the 
assault  of  the  British  forts.  Sailing-Master  Watts  fell  at  the  head 
of  his  division  of  the  sailors,  while  he  was  gallantly  leading  them 
on.  Midshipman  Graham  received  a  severe  wound,  which  caused 
the  amputation  of  a  leg.  Seven  out  of  twelve  of  the  navy  officers 
were  wounded.  Captain  Morgan  of  the  I2th,  Captain  Sprowl 
and  Captain  Dix  of  the  13th,  and  Lieutenant  Lisson,  the  two 
latter  of  whom  were  badly  wounded,  took  a  very  distinguished 
part  in  the  engagement. 

At  daybreak  the  batteries  on  the  American  side  were  opened; 
they  were  ready  to  cover  the  embarkation  of  the  main  army,  and 


PREPARATIONS   FOR   EMBARKING. 


lOA 


most  of  the  troops  had  arrived  at  the  designated  place.  Three 
hundred  and  forty  volunteers,  who  had  rallied  under  General 
Smyth's  proclamation,  well  armed  and  provided,  were  marched 
by  General  Porter  to  the  navy-yard.  One  hundred  and  fifty 
others  were  drawing  arms  at  Buffalo,  and  had  orders  to  follow 
immediately.  Colonel  Winder,  being  under  an  apprehension 
that  Lieutenant-Colonel  Boerstler  and  his  men  were  in  danger, 
made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  land  two  hundred  and  fifty  men 
at  a  difficult  point  down  the  river,  his  own  being  the  only  boat 
which  touched  the  shore.  When  the  squadron  returned  from 
their  successful  enterprise,  he  put  back  and  formed  his  regiment 
to  join  in  the  general  embarkation.  At  sunrise  the  troops  began 
to  embark,  but  such  was  their  tardiness,  that  at  twelve  o'clock  the 
whole  body,  with  Colonel  Swift's  volunteer  regiment,  were  not 
yet  in  the  boats.  A  considerable  number  of  barges  had  been 
thrown  upon  the  shores  of  the  river  and  Conejockeda  creek,  by 
the  high  tide  of  the  preceding  day,  others  were  filled  with  ice  and 
water,  and  those  which  had  been  employed  by  Colonel  Winder 
were  lying  about  one  mile  below.  To  collect  and  put  these  in 
order  for  the  reception  of  the  troops  required  a  delay  of  several 
hours  more,  and  it  was  not  until  two  o'clock  that  all  the  troops 
intended  to  be  sent  over  at  the  first  crossing,  were  collected  in  a 
group  of  boats  at  Black  Rock,  under  cover  of  the  batteries ;  where 
General  Porter,  having  brought  up  the  five  boats  which  were 
below,  joined  and  took  his  station  among  them.  The  number 
now  embarked,  according  to  the  estimate  of  General  Porter,  were 
about  two  thousand,  w^ho  were  anxiously  awaiting  the  order  to 
proceed.  General  Tannehill's  volunteers.  Colonel  F.  M'Clure's 
regiment,  and  some  rifiemen  and  cavalry,  in  all  about  two  thou- 
sand more,  were  still  paraded  on  the  shore,  and  were  to  constitute 
the  second  embarkation.  In  the  mean  time.  Captain  King  and 
his  twelve  men,  who  were  yet  in  the  enemy's  territory  dismount- 
ing his  pieces,  were  made  prisoners,  and  about  five  hundred 
British  troops  had  been  drawn  up  in  line,  about  half  a  mile  from 
the  river,  sounding  their  trumpets  and  bugles,  and  indicating  their 
readiness  to  receive  the  Americans.  Late  in  the  afternoon  Gene- 
ral Smyth  ordered  the  troops  to  disembark,  and  silenced  theii 
murmurs  by  an  assurance  that  the  expedition  was  only  postponed 


(06 


TROOPS    DISEMBARKED. 


i  ' 


until  the  bbats  should  be  put  in  a  state  of  better  preparation,  and 
that  they  (the  troops)  should  immediately  after  be  put  in  motion. 
The  different  regiments  retired  to  their  respective  quarters: 
General  Porter  marched  his  volunteers  to  Buffalo,  but  the  enemy 
was  actively  employed  in  remounting  his  guns  upon  the  batte- 
ries. On  Sunday,  the  29th,  an  order  was  issued  from  the  head- 
quarters of  the  commanding-general  for  the  march  of  the  troops 
to  the  navy-yard,  to  embark  on  the  following  morning  at  nine 
o'clock.  The  time  and  manner  proposed  in  this  order  were  dis- 
approved of  by  all  the  officers;  and  those  of  the  highest  rank 
addressed  the  general  and  stated  their  objections  to  the  plan. 
The  repaired  state  of  the  enemy's  batteries  rendered  it  inexpe- 
dient to  cross  at  the  point  dbooe  the  island,  which  covers  the 
navy-yard ;  behru  that  point  he  lay  much  augmented,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  gallant  affair  of  the  28th,  and  occupied  a  line  of 
shore  of  nearly  a  mile,  from  which  he  would  have  a  full  view  of 
the  American  movement,  if  made  by  daylight.  To  avoid  the  fire 
of  the  British  flying  artillery  and  infantry,  it  was  proposed  to 
General  Smyth  that  the  troops  should  be  landed  five  miles  below 
the  navy-yard,  at  an  hour  and  a  half  before  day  on  the  morning 
of  Tuesday,  so  that  this  dangerous  shore  might  be  passed  in  the 
dark ;  when,  if  the  boats  were  discovered,  the  troops  would  suffer 
less  from  the  enemy's  fire.  The  place  which  was  thus  recom- 
mended was,  of  all  others,  peculiarly  favourable  to  a  safe  and 
orderly  landing,  and  the  proposal  was  accordingly  adopted,  and 
the  army  were  to  embark  at  three  o'clock  and  to  land  at  half-past 
four,  in  the  order  of  battle  prescribed  on  the  28th. 

On  Monday  evening  seven  boats  for  Colonel  Swift's  regiment, 
and  eight  for  the  new  volunteers,  were  brought  up  the  river  and 
placed  at  different  points,  so  that  the  noise  and  confusion  of  em 
barking  the  whole  at  one  place  might  be  avoided.  At  half  an 
hour  after  three,  these  boats  were  occupied  and  took  their  station 
opposite  the  navy-yard.  The  regulars  were  to  proceed  on  the 
right,  General  Tannehill's  volunteers  in  the  centre,  and  the  New 
York  volunteers  on  the  left.  General  Porter,  with  a  chosen  set 
of  men,  was  appointed  to  proceed  in  front  to  direct  the  landing, 
and  to  join  the  New  York  volunteers  when  on  the  opposite  shore. 
On  the  arrival  of  the  boats  which  were  to  compose  the  van,  Gene- 


m] 


11, 


♦  ? 


ilJi 


[till, 


ral  Porter 
with  asm 
r^larin 
bead  of  tli 
Bveiy  thi 
the  troops 
proceed :  ( 
flagtodes 
to  put  off. 
the  shore, 
Porter  rec( 
diatelj.    I 
Canada  ws 
ordered  int 
teers  could 
and  return 
had  taken  ] 
came  over 
The  seer 
Four  thous 
charged  th 
commandii 
men,  of  all 
families,  ar 
country  un 
strongest  c< 
he  could  le 
But  now,  t 
people,  the 
obliged  to  1 
of  the  men 
renown.    *! 
houses,  or 
themselves 
obliged  con 
and  to  doul 
fired  at  wh 
to  him  by  1 


EXPEDITION    ABANDONED. 


109 


ral  Porter  found  that  the  artillery  were  embarking  in  the  noo^s 
^th  as  much  haste  as  possible ;  but  one  hour  elapsed  before  the 
iBgularinfantrj-  attempted  to  follow,  when  Colonel  Winder,  at  the 
liead  of  the  14th,  entered  the  boats  with  great  order  and  silence, 
flvery  thing  seemed  to  promise  a  speedy  and  successful  issue ; 
the  troops  to  be  embarked  were  now  nearly  ail  in  readiness  to 
proceed :  General  Porter  dropped  to  the  front  of  the  line  with  a 
flag  to  designate  the  leading  boat,  and  the  word  only  was  wanted 
to  put  off.  The  front  of  the  line  was  one-fourth  of  a  mile  from 
the  shore,  when  the  rear  was  observed  to  be  retarded,  and  General' 
Porter  received  orders  from  General  Smyth  to  disembark  imme- 
diately. He  was  at  the  same  time  informed  that  the  invasion  of 
Canada  was  abandoned  for  the  season,  that  the  regidars  were 
ordered  into  winter-quarters,  and  that,  as  the  services  of  the  volun- 
teers could  now  be  dispensed  with,  they  might  stack  their  arms 
and  return  to  their  homes.  Previously  to  this  order  an  interview 
had  taken  place  between  General  Sm3rth  and  a  British  major,  who 
came  over  with  a  flag. 

The  scene  of  discontent  which  followed  was  without  parallel. 
Four  thousand  men,  without  order  or  restraint,  indignantly  dis- 
charged their  muskets  in  every  direction.  The  person  of  the 
commanding  general  was  threatened.  Upwards  of  one  thousand 
men,  of  all  classes  of  society,  had  suddenly  left  their  homes  and 
families,  and  had  made  great  sacrifices  to  obey  the  call  of  their 
country  under  General  Smyth's  invitation.  He  possessed  their 
strongest  confidence,  and  was  gaining  their  warmest  affections : 
he  could  lead  to  no  post  of  danger  to  which  they  would  not  follow. 
But  now,  the  hopes  of  his  government,  the  expectations  of  the 
people,  the  desires  of  the  army,  were  all  prostrated,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  hear  the  bitter  reproaches  and  the  indignant  epithets 
of  the  men  whom  he  had  promised  to  lead  to  honour,  to  glory,  to 
renown.  The  inluibitants  refused  to  give  him  quarters  in  their 
houses,  or  to  protect  him  from  the  rage  of  thoso  who  considered 
themselves  the  victims  of  his  imbecility  or  his  deceit.  He  was 
obliged  constantly  to  shift  his  tent  to  avoid  the  general  clamour, 
and  to  double  the  guard  surrounding  it ;  and  he  was  several  times 
fired  at  when  he  ventured  without  it.  An  application  was  made 
to  him  by  the  volunteers  to  permit  them  to  invade  the  enemy's 

K 


no 


GENERAL    SMYTH's   APOLOGY. 


H    -■''-■ 


■    ^1 


terrilory  under  General  Porter,  and  they  pledged  themselves  to 
him  to  take  Fort  Erie  if  he  would  give  them  four  pieces  of  fljdng 
artillery.  This  soUcitation  was  evaded,  and  the  volunteer  troops 
proceeded  to  their  homes,  execrating  the  man  whom  they  had 
respected,  and  the  general  on  whose  talents  and  whose  promises 
they  had  placed  the  most  generous  reliance. 

General  Smyth,  however,  found  those  who  gave  their  appro- 
bation to  his  measures,  and  who  thought  that  he  had  saved  his 
army  by  relinquishing  the  invasion  of  Canada.  The  public  mind 
was  for  a  long  time  agitated  \vdth  doubts  about  the  propriety  of 
his  conduct,  in  not  prosecuting  the  campaign  and  breaking  up 
the  enemy's  strong  posts  along  the  Niagara.  Few,  however, 
have  hesitated  to  declare  his  culpability  in  inducing  men  to  leave 
their  homes  for  a  month's  incursion  into  the  British  territory,  un- 
less he  intended  to  effect  it  at  every  hazard  which  they  might  be 
willing  to  encounter.  But  he  has  alleged  that  his  orders  from 
the  commander-in-chief  were  to  cross  with  "  three  thousand  men 
at  once,"  and  that  he  could  not  ascertain  the  number  of  troops 
which  would  go  over  but  by  seeing  them  actually  embarked,  and 
that  when  they  were  embarked  they  did  not  amount  to  more  than 
fifteen  hundred  and  twelve  men,  exclusive  of  tlic  staff,  being  but 
half  the  number  with  which  only  his  instructions  authorized  him 
to  assail  the  opposite  shore.  That  many  of  the  militia  not  only 
refused  to  go  when  ordered  into  the  boats  by  his  brigade  major, 
but  that  more  than  half  of  General  Tannehill's  brigade  had  de- 
serted. In  his  official  letter  to  General  Dearborn,  he  stated  that 
he  had  called  tof^ether  a  council  of  his  ofiicers,  agreeably  to  his 
instructions  in  all  important  cases,  and  that  they  decided  against 
the  contemplated  operations  upon  the  ground  of  the  insufficiency 
of  force.  That  he  then  informed  the  officers  that  the  attempt  to 
invade  Canada  would  not  be  made  until  the  army  should  be  re- 
inforced, and  directed  them  to  withdraw  their  troops  and  cover 
them  with  huts  immediately.  That  the  volunteers  and  the  neigh- 
bouring people  were  dissatisfied,  and  that  it  had  been  in  the 
power  of  the  contracting  agent  (alluding  to  General  Porter)  to 
excite  some  clamour  against  the  course  pursued,  as  he  found  the 
contract  a  losing  one,  and  would  wish  to  see  the  army  in  Canada 
that  he  might  not  be  bound  to  supply  it.    That  the  situation  of 


GENERAL    PORTER. 


Ill 


tlte  force  under  his  (General  Smyth's)  command  had  not  been 
such  as  to  make  the  propriety  of  a  forward  movement  obvious  to 
all :  that  circumstanced  as  he  was,  he  the  aght  it  his  duty  "to  fol- 
low the  cautious  counsels  of  experience,  and  not  precipitation,  to 
add  to  the  list  of  our  defeats." 

Whether  General  Porter's  anxiety  to  see  the  army  in  Canada 
arose  from  so  interested  a  motive  as  General  Smyth  has  alleged, 
or  whether  he  was  actuated  by  a  desire  to  see  the  campaign  of 
1812  closed  with  some  brilliant  achievement  /f  the  American 
arms,  the  reader  will  be  better  able  to  judge  by  remembering  the 
indefatigable  exertions  which  that  gentleman  made  use  of  to  en- 
large the  forces  at  Buffalo,  by  which  the  supplies  of  the  army 
would  be  increased,  and  of  the  personal  share  which  he  was  dis- 
posed to  take  in  the  most  dangerous  part  of  the  enterprise 

On  the  2d  of  December  the  enemy  again  opened  his  batteries 
upon  Black  Rock,  probably  with  a  view  to  inform  General  Smyth 
that  his  guns  were  unspiked  and  replaced,  and  that  he  was  again 
in  a  state  to  resist  the  invasion.  His  fire  was  returned  from 
several  six-pounders,  one  of  which,  under  Captain  J.  N.  Barker, 
was  so  well  directed  that  the  ball  entered  an  embrasure,  dis- 
mounted a  heavy  gun,  and  disabled  the  carriage. 

The  troops  were  now  all  quartered ;  barracks  were  erected  at 
Batavia  for  the  reception  of  the  largest  proportion,  and  no  opera- 
tions took  place  until  the  close  of  the  year.  The  armies  were 
distinguished  by  titles  derived  from  their  situations.  That  which 
was  commanded  by  General  Smyth  being  the  Army  of  the  Cen- 
tre, and  that  upon  the  St.  Lawrence  and  in  its  vicinity  being  the 
Northern  Army.  This  latter,  which  consisted  of  an  active  force 
of  five  thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty-seven  men,  of  infantry, 
cavalry,  field  and  horse  artillery,  and  militia,  had  also  gone  into 
winter-quarters,  and  the  hopes  of  the  nation  rested  now  only  on 
the  North-western  army,  which  we  left  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
the  Rapids  of  the  Miami,  the  heafl-quarters  of  its  commander  at 
Sandusky,  making  vigorous  preparations  for  a  push  upon  the 
British  and  Indians  at  Detroit,  and  resolved  upon  quartering  for 
the  winter  in  one  of  the  enemy's  garrisons. 


112 


NAVAL  CAMPAIGN  CONTINUED. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Kabal  tfampaign  of  ILSHS  tontfnucb. 

The  American  arms  on  the  ocean 
were  all  this  time  continuing  to  be  tri- 
umphant. One  naval  victory  succeeded 
another,  until  the  people  of  the  United 
States  were  astonished  at  the  ceaseless 
prowess  of  their  tars,  and  the  nations  of 
Europe  stood  in  admiration,  and  began 
to  look  upon  the  rising  naval  establish* 
ment  of  America  as  a  future  rival  to  the 
formidable  enemy  against  whom  it  was 
already  successfully  contending. 

The  United  States  frigate  the  United  States,  Captain  Stephen 
Decatur,  of  forty-four  guns,  having  separated  from  the  squadron 
under  Commodore  Rodgers,  with  which  she  left  Boston  on  the 
18th  of  October,  cruised  in  the  track  of  the  British  frigates  until 
the  25th,  when  in  lat.  29  deg.  N.,  long.  29  deg.  30  min.  W.,  she 
fell  in  with  the  British  frigate  Macedonian,  Captain  John  Carden, 
of  thirty-eight  guns,  but  carrying  forty-nine,  the  odd  one  bemg  a 
shifting  gun.  The  Macedonian  Was  to  windward,  and  entered 
the  engagement  at  her  own  distance.    For  half  an  hour  aft»r  the 


UNITED    STATES    AND    MACEDONIAN. 


113 


commencement  of  the  action  the  United  States  had  no  opportu- 
nity of  using  her  carronades,  the  enemy  keeping  out  of  their 
reach,  and  never  once  coming  within  the  range  of  grape  or  mus> 
ketry.  The  action,  therefore,  was  of  greater  length  than  usual, 
and  continued  under  every  advantage  to  the  enemy  until  the 
United  States  neared  him.  The  fire  from  her  then  became  so 
vivid  that  the  enemy's  crew  imagining  her  to  be  on  fire,  gave 
ipany  demonstrations  of  their  joy,  and  expected  every  instant  to 
see  her  blown  up.  But  the  Macedonian's  mizzen-mast  was  shot 
away  by  the  board,  her  fore  and  topmasts  by  the  caps,  her  lower 
masts  badly  wounded,  her  main-mast  destroyed,  and  all  her  rig- 
ging cut  up.  Most  of  her  guns  were  disabled,  the  largest  part 
of  her  crew  killed  and  wounded,  and  having  become  a  perfect 
wreck,  she  surrendered  after  an  action  of  an  hour  and  a  half,  at 
the  moment  when  the  United  States  was  about  to  rake  her. 

The  enthusiasm  of  the  American  crew  on  discovering  the 
enemy,  and  during  the  battle,  was  perhaps  unprecedented ;  the 
precision  of  their  fire  was  never  surpassed  in  any  other  naval  en- 
gagement. Captain  Garden  being  brought  on  board,  presented 
his  sword  to  Captain  Decatur,  who,  in  testimony  of  the  gallantry 
of  his  enemy,  declined  accepting  it,  saying  that  "  he  could  not 
receive  the  sword  of  a  man  who  had  defended  his  ship  so  brave- 
ly." The  enemy's  loss  amounted  to  one  hundred  and  four; 
thirty-six  in  killed,  and  sixty-eight  wounded :  among  the  latter, 
his  first  and  third  lieutenants.  The  loss  of  the  United  States  was 
five  killed  and  seven  wounded,  making  a  total  of  twelve.  Among 
the  latter  was  Lieutenant  John  Musser  Funk,  of  Lancaster, 
Pennsylvania,  who  afterwards  died  of  his  wounds,  regretted  for 
his  worth,  and  admired  for  his  constant  coolness  and  courage. 
The  United  States  received  no  damage  whatever,  and  returned 
to  por^  only  to  see  her  prize  safe  in.  The  superiority  of  gunnery 
was  decidedly,  in  this  action,  on  the  side  of  the  American  sea- 
men, who  fired  seventy  broadsides,  whilst  the  enemy  discharged 
but  thirty-six. 

The  Macedonian  was  an  entire  new  ship,  and  had  been  out  of 

dock  but  four  months.     She  was  brought  into  the  port  of  New 

London,  and  thence  through  the  Sound  to  New  York,  where  she 

was  fitted  out  as  a  thirty-eight  gun  frigate,  and  as  such  bought 
ks  is 


114 


OPERATIONS  ON  LAKE  ONTARIO. 


trml 


into  the  service  of  the  United  States  at  the  value  of  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars. 

Captain  Decatur  every  where  received  the  congratulations  of 
the  citizens.  The  legislatures  of  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia 
voted  him  an  elegant  sword ;  the  Congress  of  the  United  States 
a  ^old  medal.  The  corporation  of  New  York  voted  him  the  free- 
dom of  the  city  in  a  gold  box,  and  had  his  portrait  set  up  in  their 
gallery ;  and  the  select  and  common  councils  of  Philadelphia,  (in 
which  city  he  was  born,)  voted  him  a  superb  sword,  and  ap- 
pointed a  committee,  of  which  Captain  John  Mullowney,  formerly 
of  the  United  States  navy  was  one ;  who  in  conjunction  with 
Major-General  John  Barker,  then  mayor  of  the  city,  were  to  pro- 
cure it  to  be  made  of  American  materials.  This  sword  was  pre- 
sented to  Captain  Decatur  by  the  mayor,  accompanied  by  a  concise 
and  appropriate  address,  to  which  he  made  a  pertinent  and  manly 
reply.  Lieutenant  Allen,  first  of  the  ship,  and  Lieutenant 
Nicholson,  received  the  same  honours  from  the  legislature  of 
Virginia. 

On  Lake  Ontario  the  naval  operations  were  becoming  every 
day  of  more  consequence.  Arrangements  had  been  made  for  the 
augmentation  of  the  fleets  and  a  large  ship  was  already  on  the 
stocks,  nearly  completed,  and  to  be  called  the  Madison.  About 
the  6th  of  November,  Commodore  Chauncey,  who  commanded 
the  fleet  on  this  station,  had  some  suspicion  that  three  of  the  ene- 
my's squadron  had  proceeded  from  Kingston,  up  the  lake,  with 
troops  to  reinforce  Fort  George.  The  vessels  supposed  to  have 
sailed  in  this  direction,  were  the  Royal  George  of  six,  the  Duke 
of  Gloucester  of  ten,  and  the  Prince  Regent  of  fourteen  guns. 
Commodore  Chauncey  immediately  sailed  with  the  brig  Oneida 
of  fourteen  guns ;  the  Governor  Tompkins,  Lieutenant  Brown, 
of  six  guns ;  the  Growler,  Lieutenant  Mix,  of  five  guns ;  the  Con 
quest.  Lieutenant  Elliot,  of  two  guns;  the  General  Hamilton, 
Lieutenant  M'Pherson,  of  six  guns ;  the  Pert,  Arundle,  of  two 
guns ;  and  the  Julia,  Frant,  of  one  long  thirty-two-pounder — 
making  in  all  thirty-six  guns.  As  the  enemy's  vessels  were  ex- 
pected to  return  to  Kingston  for  more  troops,  it  was  intended  to 
intercept  them  at  the  False  Ducks,  a  collection  of  islands  which 
I  hey  would  be  obliged  to  pass. 


OPERATIONS    ON    LAKE    ONTARIO. 


116 


On  the  8th  the  squadron  fell  in  with  the  Royal  George,  and 
chased  her  into  the  bay  of  Quinti,  where  she  was  lost  sight  of  in 
the  night.  On  the  morning  of  the  9th  she  was  discovered  in 
Kingston  channel.  Signal  was  immediately  made  for  a  general 
chase,  but  by  the  alternate  prevalence  of  squalls  and  calms,  the 
squadron  was  led  in  close  pursuit  into  the  harbour  of  the  enemy 
at  Kingston.  The  commodore  being  determined  on  boarding  her, 
though  she  was  anchored  under  the  enemy's  batteries,  with 
spiings  on  her  cables,  that  she  might  get  all  her  guns  to  bear, 
gave  his  signal  to  that  effect.  At  three  o'clock  the  batteries 
opened  their  fire  on  the  fleet,  and  sent  forth  a  tremendous 
shower  of  shot  and  grape.  Lieutenant  Elliot,  of  the  Conquest, 
pushed  forward,  and  went  in  in  the  handsomest  style.  He  was 
followed  by  the  Julia,  the  Pert,  and  the  Growler,  in  succession ; 
then  came  up  the  brig,  with  the  commodore,  then  the  General 
Hamilton,  and  the  Governor  Tompkins.  At  twelve  minutes  after 
three  Lieutenant  Elliot  opened  his  fire ;  at  fifteen  minutes  after 
three  the  Pert,  Julia,  and  Growler,  opened  theirs.  At  twenty 
minutes  after  three  the  whole  of  the  batteries  fired  on  the  brig, 
and  she  sustained  most  of  the  fire  during  the  remainder  of  the 
action.  A  little  while  after,  the  commodore  gave  the  signal  "  en- 
gage closer,"  which  was  instantly  obeyed.  The  Pert's  gun  about 
this  time  bursted  and  wounded  her  commander,  who  refusing  to 
leave  the  deck,  was  knocked  overboard  by  the  boom  and  drowned. 
At  forty  minutes  past  three  the  brig  opened  her  fire  on  the  Royal 
George,  and  the  Royal  George  on  the  Hamilton.  The  firinp- 
became  now  very  hot,  and  was  kept  up  with  the  greatest  alacrity 
until  four  o'clock,  when  the  Royal  George  cut  her  cables  and  ran 
away  further  up  the  bay. 

The  squadron  became  exposed  to  the  cross  fire  of  five  batteries 
of  flying  artillery,  in  all  about  forty  guns,  and  the  guns  of  the 
ship  the  Royal  George,  which  having  taken  a  more  advantage- 
ous position,  set  new  springs  and  recommenced  her  fire.  Round 
and  grape  were  now  falling  around  the  squadron  in  heavy 
showers.  At  half  an  hour  after  four  the  whole  hauled  by  the 
wind  and  beat  out  of  the  bay ;,  two  miles  from  which  they  an- 
chored, in  full  sight,  until  the  10th,  and  after  remaining  there 
nearly  all  that  day,  they  returned  to  Sackett's  Harbour,  with  the 


116 


OPERATIONS  ON  LAKE  ONTARIO. 


m  i 


.088  of  one  man  killed  and  three  wounded  on  board  the  Oneida. 
Whilst  at  the  mouth  of  Kingston  harbour,  the  commodore  cap> 
tared  a  schooner,  and  as  she  could  not  beat  out  with  the  squad 
ron,  he  ordered  the  Growler  to  take  her  under  convoy,  to  run 
down  past  Kingston,  and  anchor  on  the  east  end  of  Long  Island, 
under  an  expectation  that  the  Koyal  George  would  be  induced 
to  come  out  to  recapture  her ;  but  her  commander,  fearing  that 
the  squadron  might  be  close  at  hand,  would  not  leave  his  moor- 
ings. The  Royal  George  suffered  very  severely  in  her  hul^  as 
a  number  of  thirty-two-pound  shot  pierced  her  through  and 
through.  The  Growler  having  in  vain  tried  to  induce  the  enemy 
to  come  out,  sailed  with  the  prize  schooner  for  Sackett's  Harbour. 
On  her  way  she  discovered  the  Prince  Regent  and  the  Earl 
Moira,  of  eighteen  guns,  convoying  a  sloop  to  Kingston.  She 
immediately  ran  in  and  placed  herself  behind  a  point  with  her 
prize,  until  the  armed  vessels  had  passed  her,  when  she  ran  out 
again,  pressed  down  upon  the  sloop,  captured  and  brought  her 
into  Sackett's  Harbour,  having  on  board  about  twelve  thousand 
dollars  in  specie,  and  Captain  Brock,  cousin  and  private  secretary 
to  General  Brock,  together  with  that  general's  private  property 
and  baggage.  The  commodore  immediately  put  off  in  a  snow 
storm,  vnth  a  hope  of  cutting  off  the  Earl  Moira  at  the  False 
Ducks.  Captain  Brock  expressed  great  surprise  on  learning  that 
the  Americans  had  been  in  the  British  harbour,  and  that  they 
had  got  out  again  with  so  little  loss,  the  place  being  so  strongly 
defended.  Commodore  Chauncey  not  having  succeeded  in  in- 
tercepting the  Earl  Moira,  returned  again  to  the  harbour,  and 
made  preparations  for  completing  the  new  ship  Madison,  which, 
being  finished  on  the  26th  of  November,  was  launched  into  her 
destined  element  without  accident. 

About  this  time  the  American  privateers  were  floating  in  every 
direction  on  the  ocean.  They  cruised  before  the  entrances  of 
most  of  the  British  colonial  ports,  and  relying  on  the  swiftness 
of  their  sailing,  many  of  them  had  ventured  into  the  chops  of  the 
British  Channel.  The  alarm  which  was  in  consequence  excited 
among  the  merchants  of  Great  Britain,  and  the  vast  number  of 
captures  which  were  making  by  these  vessels,  induced  the  Eng- 
bsh  government  to  fit  out  several  sloops  of  war  for  the  protection 


it!  ^44 
W  !'t  4' 


THE    PRIVATEERS. 


117 


of  their  coast.  The  brig  Charybdis,  of  eighteen  thirty-two-pound 
ers,  and  the  Opossum  sloop  of  war,  were  ordered  to  cruise  for 
several  privateers  which  were  then  known  to  be  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  coast,  and  which  it  was  confidently  expected 
would  be  brought  in  by  one  or  the  other  of  these  armed  vessels. 
The  Charybdis  fell  in  with  the  privateer  Blockade  of  New  York, 
of  eight  guns ;  and  after  an  obstinate  engagement  of  one  hour  and 
twenty  minutes,  in  which  the  Charybdis  lost  twenty-eight  of  her 
officers  and  men  killed  and  wounded,  and  the  Blockade  eight 
men  only,  the  latter  was  carried  and  taken  into  port.  The  Opos- 
sum encountered  the  •'  Orders  in  Council,"  a  small  privateer,  who 
fought  her  until  they  had  exchanged  seven  broadsides,  when, 
finding  the  enemy's  force  to  be  too  powerful,  she  abandoned  the 
contest  and  effected  her  escape. 

The  privateer  Tom,  Captain  Wilson,  of  Baltimcw,  on  the  23d 
of  November  descried  a  sail,  gave  chase,  overhauled  and  brought 
her  to  an  action,  which  terminated  in  the  surrender  of  the  enemy 
with  the  loss  of  her  captain  and  four  men  killed,  and  eeveral 
wounded.  She  proved  to  be  the  British  packet  Townsend, 
M'Coy,  from  Falmouth  for  Barbadoes.  Her  mail  had  been  thrown 
overboard,  but  was  picked  up  by  the  Tom's  boats,  and  after  being 
ransomed  she  was  suffered  to  proceed. 

The  Bona  privateer,  of  Baltimore,  having  discovered  a  British 
ship  of  eight  hundred  tons,  and  twenty-two  guns,  then  on  a  voy- 
age from  Madeira,  ran  up  and  engaged  her,  when  the  great  gun 
bursted,  and  Captain  Dameron  put  twenty-nine  officers  and  men 
into  his  boats,  and  despatched  them  to  board  her.  After  a  severe 
fight  upon  her  decks,  they  carried  her  with  little  loss.  Two 
strange  sail  at  this  moment  coming  up  in  chase,  the  Bona  left 
the  prize  in  possession  of  those  on  board,  and  bore  away  to  draw 
the  chasing  vessels  after  her. 

The  privateer  Dolphin,  Captain  W.  S.  Stafford,  of  ten  guns 
and  sixty  men,  also  of  Baltimore,  being  off  Cape  St.  Vincent, 
engaged  a  ship  of  sixteen  guns  and  fi^rty  men,  and  a  brig  of  ten 
guns  and  twenty-five  men,  at  the  same  instant,  and  after  a  long 
and  gallant  action  made  prizes  of  both.  The  Dolphin  had  four 
men  wounded ;  the  enemy  nineteen  killed  and  forty  wounded, 
among  them  the  captain  of  one  of  the  vessels.    Instances  of  the 


118 


EXPEDITION  TO  THE  SOUTH  SEAS. 


rV'!''' 


Cnminodor*  Balnbridge. 

bold  and  daring  intrepidity  of  the  crews  of  the  private  armed 
vessels  of  the  United  States  are  so  numerous,  that  the  recital  of 
them  would  swell  this  work  very  far  beyond  the  limits  which 
have  been  assigned  to  it.  The  enemy's  commerce  was  every 
where  assailed  by  them,  and  the  British  government  was  obliged 
to  protect  their  merchant  ships  by  large  convoys  of  vessels  of 
war. 

A  plan  had  been  matured  at  the  navy  department  for  a  cruise 
in  the  South  Seas,  and  the  frigate  Constitution,  now  commanded 
by  Commodore  William  Bainbridge,  the  Essex,  Captain  Porter, 
and  the  Hornet,  Captain  Lawrence,  were  selected  to  prosecute 
the  voyage  in  company.  On  the  27th  of  October  the  Essex 
sailed  from  the  Delaware,  and  on  the  30th  the  Constitution  and 
Hornet  from  Boston ;  several  places  of  rendezvous  having  been 
assigned,  at  either  of  which  this  force  was  to  be  united  to  proceed 
upon  the  cruize.  On  the  29th  of  December  the  union  of  these  ves- 
sels had  not  yet  been  effected,  and  on  that  day  the  Const jtution 


\ 


I'  V. 


mhr% 


m> 


descried  a 
ten  league 
a  British  ] 
for  her.  ^ 
an  intenti 
wearing, 
object  of  t] 
being  rake 
two  p.  M.  tl 
to  windwa 
jack,  whic 
ahead  of  h 
answered  1 
hoisted,  an 
at  so  great 
him  nearei 
thirty  mini 
distance,  v 
minutes  pa 
Bainbridge 
for  that  pi 
got  foul  0 
minutes 
minutes  p 
cap.    Thi 
and  soon 
minutes 
colours  at 
dered. 
which  beii 
still  flying 
got  close  a 
when  his 
that  furth 
ageable  a 
taken  posi 
jesty's  shi 
command 


a 


CONSTITUTION    AND    JAVA. 


121 


descried  a  sail  at  meridian,  in  lat.  13  deg.  6  min.  S.,  long  38  W., 
ten  leagues  from  St.  Salvador,  which  she  soon  discovered  to  be 
a  British  frigate.  Commodore  Bainbridge  tacked  sail  and  stood 
for  her.  At  fifty  minutes  past  one  p.  m.  the  enemy  bore  down  with 
an  intention  of  raking  the  Constitution,  which  she  avoided  by 
wearing.  Much  manceuvering  took  place  on  both  sides,  tlie 
object  of  the  enemy  being  to  rake,  and  of  the  Constitution  to  avoid 
being  raked,  and  to  draw  the  enemy  from  the  neutral  coast.  At 
two  p.  M.  the  enemy  was  within  half  a  mile  of  the  Constitution,  and 
to  windward,  having  hauled  down  his  colours,  except  the  union 
jack,  which  was  at  the  mizzen-masthead.  A  gun  was  then  fired 
ahead  of  him  to  make  him  show  his  colours ;  but  this  gun  was 
answered  by  a  whole  broadside.  The  enemy's  colours  were  then 
hoisted,  and  the  action  began  with  round  and  grape ;  but  he  kept 
at  so  great  a  distance  that  the  grape  had  little  effect,  and  to  bring 
him  nearer  would  expose  the  Constitution  to  severe  raking.  At 
thirty  minutes  past  two,  both  ships  were  within  good  canister 
distance,  when  the  Constitution's  wheel  was  shot  away.  At  forty 
minutes  past  two,  the  fore  and  mainsail  were  set,  and  Commodore 
Bainbridge  being  now  determined  to  close  with  him,  luffed  up 
for  that  purpose,  and  in  ten  minutes  after  the  enemy's  jibboom 
got  foul  of  the  Constitution's  mizzen  rigging,  and  in  another  ten 
minutes  his  bowsprit  and  jibboom  were  shot  away.  At  five 
minutes  past  three  his  main-topmast  was  shot  away  just  above  the 
cap.  This  was  followed  by  the  loss  of  his  gaff  and  spanker  boom, 
and  soon  after  his  mainmast  went  nearly  by  the  board.  At  five 
minutes  past  four  the  enemy  was  completely  silenced,  and  his 
colours  at  the  main  being  down,  it  was  thought  he  had  surren- 
dered. The  Constitution  therefore  shot  ahead  to  repair  damages, 
which  being  done,  and  the  enemy's  flag  being  discovered  to  be 
still  flying,  she  wore,  stood  for  the  enemy  in  handsome  style,  and 
got  close  athwart  his  bows  in  an  effectual  position  for  raking, 
when  his  mainmast  having  also  gone  by  the  board,  and  seeing 
tliat  further  resistance  would  be  useless  whilst  he  lay  so  unman- 
ageable a  wreck,  he  struck  his  colours,  and  was  immediately 
taken  possession  of  Lieutenant  Parker,  and  found  to  be  his  ma 
jesty's  ship  Java,  of  thirty-eight  guns,  but  mounting  foity-nine, 
commanded  by  a  distinguished  officer.  Captain  Lambert,  who  way 

h  16 


122 


CONSTITUTION    AND    JAVA. 


Bf 


ii 


mortally  wounded,  and  having  on  board  at  the  commencement 
of  the  engagement  upwards  of  four  hundred  men,  and  one  hun- 
dred supernumerary  seamen  which  she  was  carrying  out  to  the 
East  Indies  for  different  ships  there.  The  Constitution  had  nine 
men  killed  and  twenty-five  wounded.  The  Java  sixty  killed  and 
one  hundred  and  seventy  wounded.  She  had  on  board  despatches 
for  St.  Helena,  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  the  different  establish- 
ments in  the  East  Indies  and  China,  and  copper  for  a  seventy- 
four,  building  at  Bombay.  She  had  on  board  also,  a  number 
of  passengers,  among  whom  were  Lieutenant-General  Hislop, 
governor  of  Bombay,  Major  Walker,  and  one  staff  major.  Captain 
Marshall,  a  master  and  commander  in  the  royal  navy,  and  several 
officers  appointed  to  ships  in  the  East  Indies. 

The  conduct  of  both  officers  and  crew  in  this  engagement,  was 
not  less  conspicuous  for  gallantry  than  in  that  of  the  Guerriere, 
and  the  same  principles  of  humanity  influenced  their  deportment 
to  the  prisoners.  Among  the  wounded  were  the  commodore  and 
Lieutenant  Aylwin,  the  latter  of  whom  received  a  ball  imme- 
diately under  the  collar  bone,  (within  an  inch  of  his  former 
w^ound,)  of  which  he  died  at  sea,  on  the  28th  January.  Upon 
the  call  for  boarders,  he  had  mounted  the  quarter-deck  hammock 
cloth,  and  was  in  the  act  of  firing  his  pistols  at  the  enemy  when 
the  ball  passed  through  his  shoulder-blade  and  threw  him  upon 
the  deck.  Midshipman  Delany,  who  had  been  at  his  side  in  both 
the  actions  of  the  Constitution,  bore  him  to  the  side  of  the  mast, 
and  ordered  two  men  from  his  own  division  to  carry  him  below, 
but  such  was  his  zeal  for  the  success  of  the  ship,  that  he  would 
not  suffer  a  single  man  to  be  taken  from  his  station,  nor  would 
he  consent  to  leave  the  deck  until  he  saw  the  issue  of  the  battle. 
Among  the  officers  who  distinguished  themselves,  were  Lieute- 
nant Parker,  the  first  officer  of  the  ship,  and  Midshipmen  James 
Delany,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  John  Packet,  of  Jefferson  county, 
Virginia ;  the  latter  of  whom  was  intrusted  with  the  despatches 
from  Commodore  Bainbridge  to  the  navy  department,  and  has 
since  been  promoted  to  a  lieutenancy.  Many  of  the  seamen  ex- 
hibited a  most  uncommon  degree  of  heroism ;  one  of  them,  John 
Cheves,  after  being  mortally  wounded,  remained  on  deck  appa- 
rently dying,  until  the  termination  of  the  engagement,  when  the 


CONSTITUTION    AND   JAVA, 


133 


word  being  passed  that  the  enemy  had  struck,  he  raised  himself 
up  with  one  hand,  gave  three  cheers,  and  fell  back  and  expired. 
His  brother  was  also  severely  wounded. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  (nautical  time,)  Commodore  Bainbridge, 
upon  being  informed  by  Lieutenant  Parker  that  the  prize  was  in 
such  a  condition  that  many  repairs  would  be  required  to  render 
her  at  all  manageable,  and  knowing  the  immense  distance  at 
which  he  then  was  from  any  port  in  the  United  States,  and  how 
much  he  would  be  obliged  to  weaken  his  crew  to  man  the  prize 
properly,  determined  on  blowing  her  up,  which  he  accordingly 
did  at  3  P.  M.,  with  every  valuable  article  on  board  of  her,  except 
the  prisoners'  baggage.  To  these  he  administered  every  comfort 
which  his  means  could  afford,  and  at  St.  Salvador,  at  which  place 
lie  landed  the  remaining  crew  of  the  Java,  he  received  the  public 
acknowledgments  of  Lieutenant-General  Hislop  to  that  effect, 
accompanied  by  the  presentation  of  an  elegant  sword.  Captain 
Lambert  had  received  a  mortal  wound  in  the  early  part  of  the 
engagement,  and  was  in  so  languishing  a  situation  that  he  could 
not  be  removed  from  the  Java  until  her  destruction  was  resolved 
on,  after  which  the  commodore  directed  his  course  to  St.  Salvador 
to  land  and  parole  him.  On  arriving  in  that  port,  he  landed  the 
private  passengers  without  considering  them  prisoners  of  war, 
and  released  the  public  passengers  and  the  ofUcers  and  crew, 
amounting  to  three  hundred  and  fifty-one  men,  on  their  parole,  on 
condition  of  their  returning  to  England  and  remaining  there, 
without  serving  in  any  of  their  professional  capacities  until  they 
should  be  regularly  exchanged. 

At  St.  i^alvador  the  Constitution  met  the  sloop  of  war  the  Hor- 
net, with  whom  she  had  parted  a  few  days  before  the  engagement, 
and  leaving  that  vessel  to  blockade  the  British  sloop  of  war  the 
Bonne  Citoyenne,  Commodore  Bainbridge  broke  up  the  ititended 
cruise  in  the  South  Seas  and  returned  to  the  United  States.  Here 
he  was  greeted  with  the  applauses  of  his  countrymen,  and 
received  the  freedom  of  the  city  of  New  York  in  a  gold  box;  a 
piece  of  plate  from  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia,  the  thanks  of 
many  of  the  state  legislatures,  and  a  medal  from  Congn^ss,  with 
fifly  thousand  dollars  for  himself,  officers,  and  crew.     The  legis- 


66 


124 


CONSTITUTION    AND    JAVA. 


^I^il 


m 

J:  I'; 


lature  of  Virginia  voted  a  handsome  sword  to  Midshipman  Packet 
of  their  state,  and  their  approbation  to  the  officers  generally. 

The  comparative  force  of  the  two  vessels  has  been  a  subject  of 
much  prevarication,  as  well  as  of  the  number  of  men  in  each. 
Captain  Lambert  having  expired  at  St.  Salvador,  it  became  the 
duty  of  Lieutenant  Chads,  first  officer  of  the  Java,  to  make  an 
official  communication  of  the  affair  to  his  government.  Thpt 
officer,  unmindful  of  the  generous  magnanimity  with  which  he 
had  been  treated,  endeavoured  to  take  away  from  the  credit  of 
the  American  commodore  by  underrating  the  number  of  the 
British  crew  and  the  actual  force  of  the  British  ship,  and  by  very 
largely  overrating  the  force  and  crew  of  the  Constitution.  He 
reported  her  force  to  be  thirty-two  long  twenty-four-pounders, 
sixteen  carronades,  (thirty-two  pounders,)  and  one  carronade 
eighteen-pounder,  being  in  all  fifty-eight  guns.  The  actual  force 
of  the  Constitution  was  thirty  twenty-four-pounders  on  her  gun- 
deck,  sixteen  thirty-two-pound  carronades  on  her  quarter-deck, 
and  eight  guns  on  her  forecastle,  making  in  all  fifty  four  guns. 
The  Java  carried  twenty-eight  twenty-four-pounders  on  her  gun- 
deck,  fourteen  thirty-two-pounders,  carronades,  six  guns  on  the 
forecastle,  and  one  shifting  gun,  making  in  all  forty-nine  guns, 
which  the  lieutenant  stated  at  forty-six. 

Assurances  were  given  to  Commodore  Bainbridge  by  the 
officers  of  the  Java,  that  the  ship  left  England  with  a  crew  which 
did  not  exceed  three  hundred  and  twenty  men ;  but  the  prisoners 
received  on  board  the  Constitution  very  far  exceeded  that  num- 
ber, and  when  the  muster-book  of  the  Java  was  found  and  ex- 
amined, it  called  for  four  hundred  and  nine  officers,  petty  officers, 
seamen,  and  marines,  so  that  their  loss  in  killed  must  have  been 
greater  than  they  reported. 


OPERATIONS   OF   WINCHESTER    AND   HARRISON.     126 


i      CHAPTER    VIII 
(tatioiiK  of  2^incf)e0tft  anli  g^aTtUon  in  t'^t  T^ottt'totnu 

Exasperated  at  the  successes  of 
the  American  volunteer  troops,  in  their 
^repeated  assaults  upon  the  Indian 
^  posts  along  the  north-western  frontier, 
the  enemy  resolved  upoi  an  imme- 
diate movement  of  his  combined  forces, 
to  the  village  of  Frenchtown,  with  a 
>^  view  to  intercept  the  American  expe- 
dition, in  its  further  approaches  to- 
wards Detroit.  In  the  event  of  this 
movement,  which  was  now  (January)  every  day  looked  for,  the 
inhabitants  of  Frenchtown  were  apprehensive  of  being  massacred, 
and  they  therefore  implored  General  Winchester  to  march  to 
their  protection,  though  the  troops  at  that  time  under  his  com- 
mand, were  far  inferior  in  numbers  to  the  collected  force,  by 
which  in  all  probability  they  would  be  assailed.  "Without  any 
previous  concert  with  General  Harrison  as  to  the  plan  of  opera- 
tions, and  without  his  knowledge  or  authority,  General  Win- 
chester, yielding  to  the  solicitation  of  the  inhabitants,  determined 
upon  marching  with  his  small  force,  then  reduced  to  eight  hun 
dred  by  the  discharge  of  those  regiments  whose  term  of  service 


126 


BATTLE    OF    FRENCHTOWN. 


In? 


i      i  1 


lit" 


>4 


M 
It 


had  expired,  to  prevent,  if  possible,  the  destruction  of  the  village 
and  the  threatened  murder  of  its  inhabitants.  On  the  17th, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  William  Lewis  was  ordered  to  proceed  with 
a  detachment  to  Presque  isle,  where  he  was  to  wait  the  arrival 
of  a  reinforcement  of  another  detachment,  under  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Allen,  which  would  soon  after  be  followed  by  the  main 
body  of  the  troops.  On  the  morning  of  the  18th,  the  two  de- 
tachments concentrated  at  Presque  isle;  when  Colonel  Lewis, 
having  been  informed  that  an  advance  party  of  the  British  and 
Indians,  amounting  to  about  five  hundred,  were  already  encamped 
at  Frenchtown,  immediately  determined  on  attacking  them.  A 
rapid  march  brought  him  within  their  view  at  about  three  o'clock. 
At  three  miles  distance  he  w^as  apprized  of  their  being  prepared  to 
receive  him,  and,  lest  they  should  sally  out  and  suddenly  encoun- 
ter him,  he  arranged  his  men  in  the  order  of  battle,  and  approached 
with  caution  to  the  margin  of  the  river. 

The  command  of  the  right  wing,  composed  of  the  companies 
of  Captains  M'Cracken,  Bledsoe,  and  Matson,  was  assigned  to 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Allen.  The  command  of  the  left,  composed 
of  the  companies  of  Captaiiis  Hamilton,  Williams,  and  Kelly,  to 
Major  Graves.  Major  Madison  was  placed  in  the  centre,  with 
the  companies  of  Captain  Hightower,  of  the  I7th  United  States 
infantry,  and  Captains  Collier  and  Sabrie.  Captain  Ballard, 
acting  as  major,  was  sent  in  advance  with  two  companies,  com 
maiided  by  Captains  Hickman  and  Glaves. 

Thus  organized,  the  whole  body  came  within  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  of  the  enemy.  The  river  only  separated  them.  The  line 
was  then  displayed,  and  the  passage  of  the  river  was  attempted, 
under  a  fire  from  a  howitzer  which  the  enemy  directed  against 
the  volunteers  with  little  effect.  The  line  remained  firm,  and 
marched  across  the  ice  to  the  opposite  shore,  at  the  very  moment 
when  the  signal  was  given  for  a  general  charge. 

Majors  Graves  and  Madison  were  instantly  ordered  to  assail 
the  houses  and  picketing,  in  and  about  which,  the  enemy  had 
collected  and  arrayed  his  cannon,  before  this  char^'e  -.ould  be 
made.  The  two  battalions  advanced  with  great  velocity,  under 
an  incessant  shower  of  bullets,  carried  the  picketing  with  ease, 
dislodged  the  British  and  Indians,  and  drove  them  into  the  woods 


*ff 


1     II 


DEFEAT    OP    THE    BRITISH    AND    INDIANS. 


127 


Lieutenant-Colonel  Allen  made  a  simultaneous  movement  upon 
the  enemy's  left,  then  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the  re- 
mainder of  his  troops,  and  after  one  or  two  spirited  charges,  com- 
pelled him  to  break,  and  drove  him  more  than  a  mile;  alter 
which  he  took  shelter  in  the  same  wood,  to  which  the  right  had 
retired.  Here  the  two  wings  concentrated,  and,  being  covered 
by  the  fences  of  several  inclosed  lots  and  a  group  of  houses,  with 
a  thick  and  brushy  wood,  and  a  quantity  of  fallen  timber  in  the 
rear,  they  made  a  stand  with  their  howitzer  and  small  arms. 
Colonel  Allen  was  still  advancing  with  the  right  wing  of  the 
American  detachment,  and  was  exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  whole 
body  of  the  enemy.  Majors  Graves  and  Madison  were  then 
directed  to  move  up  with  the  left  and  the  centre,  to  make  a  di- 
version in  favour  of  the  right.  Their  fire  had  just  commenced 
when  the  right  wing  advanced  upon  the  enemy's  front. 

A  sanguinary  fight  immediately  followed;  the  houses  were 
desperately  assailed,  the  British,  who  were  stationed  behind  the 
fences,  were  vigorously  charged,  and  the  enemy  a  third  time 
fled.  Rapid  pursuit  was  instantly  given  to  him.  The  British 
and  Indians  drew  the  Americans  into  the  wood  in  their  rear,  and 
again  rallying  their  forces,  several  times  intrepidly  attempted, 
under  the  direction  of  Major  Reynolds,  to  break  the  American 
Une.  The  fight  became  close  and  extremely  hot  upon  the  right 
wing,  but  the  whole  line  maintained  its  ground,  repulsed  every 
attempt,  followed  up  the  enemy  each  time  as  he  fell  back,  and 
kept  him  two  miles  on  the  retreat,  under  a  continual  charge.  At 
length,  after  having  obstinately  contended  against  the  American 
arms  upwards  of  three  hours,  the  British  and  Indians  were  en- 
tirely dispersed,  and  carrying  off  all  their  wounded  and  as  many 
of  their  dead  as  they  could  collect,  they  retired  from  the  field, 
leaving  fifteen  of  their  warriors  behind. 

The  American  loss  amounted  to  twelve  killed  and  fifty-five 
wounded.  The  gallantry  of  the  officers  of  the  detachments  left 
no  chance  of  discrimination  to  the  commandant.  Most  of  them 
have  been  already  mentioned  in  reference  to  their  conduct  on 
other  occasions.  The  coolness  of  the  men  was  such,  that  whilst 
they  were  assaulting  and  driving  the  enemy  from  the  houses,  not 
a  woman  oi  child  inhabiting  them  was  hurt.     Colonel  Lewis 


128 


SECOND    BATTLE    OF    FRENCHTOWN 


1^' 

81 


I)  I' 

II 

!  \ 

r 


I*  41 


<!li 


3 


encamped  upon  the  same  ground  'which  had  been  previously 
occupied  by  the  enemy.  He  had  captured  some  public  property, 
and  protected  the  inhabitants  thus  far  from  the  apprehended 
cruelty  of  the  Indians,  and  he  now  made  preparations  to  maintain 
his  position  until  he  should  he  joined  by  General  Winchester. 

On  the  20th  the  troops  under  General  Winchester  arrived, 
and  when  the  whole  were  concentrated  they  did  not  exceed  seven 
hundred  and  fifty  men.  Six  hundred  were  posted  in  pickets,  and 
one  hundred  and  fifty  composing  the  right  wing  were  encamped 
in  an  open  field.  On  the  morning  of  the  22d,  at  reveille,  a  com- 
bined force  under  Tecumsoh  and  Colonel  Proctor,  of  two  thousand 
one  hundred  men  attacked  the  encampment.  The  alarm  gun 
was  immediately  fired,  and  the  troops  ready  for  the  reception  of 
the  assailants.  The  attack  commenced  with  a  heavy  fire  of  small 
arms,  and  the  discharge  of  six  pieces  of  artillery,  directed  imme- 
diately at  the  temporary  breastwork,  behind  which  the  left  wing 
was  stationed.  The  right  wing  was  attacked  with  great  violence 
and  sustained  the  conflict  about  twenty  minutes,  but  being  out- 
numbered and  overpowered,  was  obliged  to  retreat  across  the 
river.  Two  companies,  of  fifty  men  each,  sallied  out  of  the 
breastwork  to  their  assistance,  but  retreated  with  them.  A  large 
body  of  Indians  had  been  stationed  in  the  rear  of  the  encamp- 
ment betore  the  attack  commenced,  who  either  made  prisoners 
of,  or  cut  off  the  retreating  party.  The  left  wing  maintained  its 
ground  within  the  pickets.  • 

Three  furious  onsets  %vere  made  upon  it  by  the  British  41st, 
each  of  which  was  received  with  distinguished  coolness,  and  each 
of  which  terminated  in  the  repulse  of  the  enemy.  In  the  despe- 
rate resistance  which  was  made  to  the  charges  of  this  regiment, 
thirty  of  its  men  were  killed,  and  between  ninety  and  one  hun- 
dred wounded.  When  the  right  wing  was  discovered  to  be 
retreating,  every  effort  was  used  to  form  them  in  some  order  of 
action,  either  to  repel  the  pursuers,  or  to  regain  the  temporary 
breastwork,  from  behind  which  the  remaining  part  of  the  troops 
were  still  gallantly  defending  themselves. 

General  Winchester's  head-quarters  were  several  hundred  yards 
firom  the  encampment,  he  therefore  was  not  in  the  first  of  the  en- 
gagement, but  he  had  no  sooner  arrived  at  the  ground,  than  he, 


WINCHESTERS  SURRENDER. 


129 


Colonel  Lewis,  and  some  others,  who  were  attempting  to  rally 
the  flying  right  wing,  were  taken  prisoners.  The  remainder  of 
the  battle  was  fought  in  confusion,  and  was  rather  a  proof  of  the 
invincible  bravery  of  th«)  Americans  than  of  any  regard  w.  h 
they  had  for  the  order  of  the  fight.  They  saw  the  great  disparity 
of  force,  and  knew  how  much  their  own  had  been  weakened  by 
the  destruction  of  the  right  wing.  But  they  continued  to  repel 
every  charge  of  the  assailants,  until  eleven  o'clock,  when  an  order 
was  received,  by  a  flag  from  the  enemy,  by  which  it  appeared, 
that  General  Winchester  was  assured,  that  unless  the  troops  of 
his  command  were  immediately  surrendered,  the  buildings  in 
Frenchtown  would  be  set  on  fire,  and  that  no  responsibility 
would  be  taken  for  the  conduct  of  the  savages,  who  composed 
the  largest  part  of  the  enemy's  force ;  that  to  save  the  lives  of  the 
remaining  portion  of  his  brave  troops,  he  had  agreed  to  surrender 
them  prisoners  of  war,  on  condition  of  their  being  protected  from 
the  savages,  of  their  being  allowed  to  retain  their  private  property, 
and  of  having  their  side  arms  returned  to  them.  Thirty-five 
officers,  and  four  hundred  and  eighty-seven  non-commissioned 
officers  and  privates  were  accordingly  surrendered,  after  having 
fought  with  small  arms,  against  artillery,  for  six  hours;  and 
being  all  that  time  surrounded  by  Indians  resorting  to  their  usual 
terrific  yells.  The  loss  of  the  Americans  was  twenty-two  officers, 
and  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  non-commissioned  officers  and 
privates  killed  and  missing,  and  three  officers  and  twenty-two 
privates  wounded,  who  were  among  the  prisoners  surrendered. 
The  enemy's  loss,  except  that  of  the  41st  regulars,  could  not  be 
ascertained,  every  means  being  used  to  prevent  a  discovery.  It 
has  been  supposed,  however,  that  it  was  little  less  than  that  of 
the  Americans.  Colonel  Proctor  afterwards  stated  it,  in  his 
official  communication,  to  be  twenty-four  killed,  and  one  hundred 
and  fifty-eight  wounded. 

The  events  which  followed  the  surrender  of  the  American  arms, 
were  of  such  a  nature  as  to  make  the  heart  of  man  recoil  from  theii 
recital,  and  to  deprive  the  historian  of  a  later  day  of  that  degree 
of  temperance  which  ought  ever  to  be  inseparable  from  candid 
and  impartial  narration.  Facts  which  have  been  established 
beyond  the  possibility  of  doubt,  which  have  been  testified  by  the 

17 


130 


MASSACRE    AT    FRENCHTOWN. 


if  \  ■, 


m 


solemn  affirmations  of  the  officers  of  the  captured  army,  and  ad- 
mitted by  those  of  the  enemy,  which  took  place  immediately 
under  the  eye  of  the  conquering  commander,  and  which  were 
sanctioned  by  his  presence,  ought  not  to  be  withheld  from  the 
world ;  the  fidelity  of  history  will  not  allow  them  to  be  magnified, 
nor  can  they  in  justice  be  extenuated. 

Destitute  of  the  common  principles  of  sacred  humanity,  and 
regardless  of  the  civilized  usages  of  honourable  warfare,  the  allied 
British  and  Indian  forces  no  sooner  received  the  surrender  of  the 
vanquished,  though  brave  defenders  of  the  invaded  territory,  than 
they  assailed  them  with  their  tomahawks  and  scalping-knives, 
and  stripped  them  of  their  property  and  clothing. 

When  the  right  wing  fell  back,  and  about  forty  men,  under 
Lieutenant  Isaac  L.  Baker,  were  attempting  to  escape,  an  offer 
of  protection  was  made  to  them  on  condition  of  their  ^nrrender. 
Lieutenant  Baker  very  gladly  yielded  to  the  propo^^i'l  for  the 
safety  of  his  men,  but  the  proffered  protection  did  not  follow. 
One  half  of  his  party  were  butchered  and  left  naked  on  the 
field,  and  himself  and  the  remainder  were  marched  back  to  Colo- 
nel Proctor's  camp.  They  gave  up  their  arms  to  the  Indians, 
and  defenseless  as  they  were,  many  of  them  who  brought  up  the 
rear  as  prisoners,  were  massacred  on  the  nrarch. 

When  General  Winchester  was  captured,  in  the  act  of  pursu- 
ing and  rallying  the  right  wing,  the  same  solemn  assurances  of 
protection  were  given  to  him  on  condition  of  his  ordering  the 
whole  detachment  to  surrender.  His  humanity  induced  him  to 
comply,  but  when  the  troops  were  brought  within  the  British 
camp,  their  side  arms  and  accoutrements  were  taken  from  them 
and  presented  to  the  savages.  They  were  then  left  in  custody 
of  the  Indians,  who  were  instructed  to  follow  the  British  regulars 
to  Maiden,  to  which  place  the  prisoners  were  to  be  conducted. 
The  wounded  prisoners  were  more  likely  to  become  the  objects 
of  Indian  resentment,  and  the  American  general  remonstrated, 
therefore,  with  the  commanding  British  officer  on  the  necessity 
of  their  being  removed  by  the  regulars.  To  this  remonstrance  a 
pledge  was  given  that  such  prisoners  should  be  attended  to 
They  were  left  behind,  how^ever,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  23d, 
the  Indians  fired  many  houses  of  the  inhabitants,  and  burnt  the 


23(3, 
t  the 


prisoners  w 
readiness  tc 
and  on  find 
of  the  sevei 
gtood  them 
scalped  the 
avoid  so  d 
received  tb 
low  prison< 
situation,  w 
atrocity.    ( 
several  occi 
his  undaun 
knee  in  the 
with  the  tr 
an  Americ! 
Hart  at  an 
for  his  acti' 
his  fellow-c 
his  own  00' 
youth  in  th 
sympathy, 
himself;  ai 
tection,  am 
place  Capt 
should  be 
or  was  ma( 
Indians  en 
him  from 
to  another 
induced  tl 
of  a  large 
before  the^ 
fate  of  Col 
and  other  0 


*  Captain  I 
•ionera  at  Gh( 


MURDER    OF    CAPTAIN    HART. 


J  33 


prisoners  who  had  been  placed  within  them.  Being  then  in 
readiness  to  march,  they  arranged  other  prisoners  in  that  order, 
and  on  finding  that  many  of  them  could  not  walk,  in  consequence 
of  the  severity  of  their  wounds,  they  immediately  stripped  them, 
itood  them  up  for  targets,  and  after  killing,  tomahawked  and 
scalped  them.  Numbers  of  them  who  attempted  the  march  to 
avoid  so  dreadful  a  fate,  became  exhausted  on  the  way,  and 
received  the  same  treatment  in  the  presence  of  their  afflicted  fel- 
low prisoners.  Among  those  who  were  placed  in  this  latter 
situation,  was  an  officer  whose  case  was  of  the  most  unparalleled 
atrocity.  Captain  N.  G.  S.  Hart,*  of  Lexington,  who  had  on 
several  occasions,  but  on  this  particularly,  signalized  himself  by 
his  undaunted  bravery,  and  who  received  a  flesh  wound  in  the 
knee  in  the  early  part  of  the  engagement,  on  being  surrendered 
with  the  troops,  was  immediately  recognized  by  Colonel  Elliot, 
an  American  by  birth,  who  had  been  a  class-mate  of  Captain 
Hart  at  an  American  college,  and  who  has  long  been  notorious 
for  his  activity  in  exciting  the  savages  to  arm  themst^ves  against 
his  fellow-oitizens.  In  this  action  he  was  bearing  arms  against 
his  own  countrymen,  and  on  discovering  the  companion  of  his 
youth  in  the  hands  of  the  savages,  he  felt  that  degree  of  national 
sympathy,  of  which  no  man,  however  vile,  can  entirely  divest 
himself;  and  without  being  solicited,  made  a  promise  of  his  pro- 
tection, and  of  providing  a  conveyance  to  Maiden,  which  would 
place  Captain  Hart  under  his  superintendence  until  his  recovery 
should  be  effected.  But  Colonel  Elliot's  promise  was  forgotten, 
or  was  made  only  to  be  broken.  He  departed,  and  a  band  of 
Indians  entered  the  house  in  which  Captain  Hart  lay  and  tore 
him  from  his  bed,  one  of  his  brother  officers  then  conveyed  him 
to  another  apartment,  where  he  was  again  assailed.  He  at  length 
induced  the  Indians  to  take  him  to  Maiden,  under  the  promise 
of  a  large  reward.  They  proceeded  but  five  miles  on  the  road 
before  they  shot  him  while  on  his  horse,  and  took  his  scalp.  The 
fate  of  Colonel  Allen,  Captains  M'Cracken,  Woodfolk,  Hickman, 
and  other  officers,  was  no  less  unfcrtunate  than  that  of  Captain  Hart. 


*  Captain  Hart  was  brother>In-law  to  Mr.  Henry  Clay,  one  of  the  American  commis' 
■ioners  at  Ghent. 


134 


CONDUCT  OF  JUDGE  WOODWARD. 


When  the  surviving  prisoners,  officers  and  men,  arrived  at 
Maiden,  the  savages  were  allowed  to  sell  them,  and  many  of  the 
American  citizens  who  had  been  permitted  to  remain  in  the  town 
of  Detroit  for  temporary  purposes,  stepped  forward  to  ransom 
them,  but  when  Colonel  Proctor  discovered  that  by  this  means 
they  obtained  their  release,  he  issued  an  order  forbidding  any 
future  exchanges  of  prisoners  for  money.  Most  of  the  officers, 
and  many  of  the  men  among  the  volunteers,  were  of  the  first 
respectability,  holding  offices  of  high  trust,  members  of  the  Con- 
gress of  the  United  States,  and  accustomed  to  those  refinements 
which  result  from  wealth  and  education.  They  had  left  the  ease 
and  affluence  with  which  their  homes  abounded,  to  obey  the 
voice  of  their  invaded  country,  and  had  encountered  all  kinds  of 
hardships  in  their  diflferent  marches.  These  men,  while  prison- 
ers at  Maiden,  were  treated  with  that  haughty  superciliousness, 
which  belongs  not  to  the  noble  soldier,  nor  to  the  enlightened 
man. 

Judge  Woodward,  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  Michigan  ter- 
ritory, rendered  every  assistance  to  the  prisoners  within  the  power 
of  an  individual,  and  by  the  influence  which  he  had  acquired 
over  the  British  commander  greatly  alleviated  their  misfortunes. 
He  boldly  charged  the  enemy  with  the  enormities  which  had 
been  committed,  and  informed  Colonel  Proctor,  after  having  sup- 
plied him  by  his  own  directions  with  affidavits  which  substan- 
tiated all  the  facts,  that  "  the  truth  would  undoubtedly  eventually 
appear,  and  that  that  unfortunate  day  must  meet  the  steady  and 
impartial  eye  of  history y 

Colonel  Proctor  extenuated  the  facts,  made  no  denial  of  their 
occurrence,  but  alleged  that  no  capitulation  was  entered  into;  that 
the  prisoners  surrendered  at  discretion,  and  that  therefore  it  was 
not  necessary  to  control  the  Indians.  The  battle  was  officially 
announced  to  the  Canadian  people  from  the  head-quarters  of  the 
commander-in-chief,  the  governor-general.  His  communication 
infor-ned  them  that  another  brilliant  action  had  been  achieved  by 
the  division  of  the  army  under  Colonel  Proctor,  and  admitted  that 
the  loss  of  the  Americans  was  great,  because  the  Indian  warriors 
had  cut  off  all  who  attempted  to  escape.  The  Indian  chief  Round 
Head,  he  said  had  rendered  essential  services  by  his  ])ravery  and 


ei'^ursions, 


ERECTION    OF    FORT    MEIGS. 


135 


(rood  conduct,  and  Colonel  Proctor  had  nobly  displayed  his  gal- 
lantry by  his  humane  and  unwearied  exertions  in  rescuing  the 
vanquished  from  the  revenge  of  the  Indians ;  for  which  good  con 
duct  he  was  promoted,  until  the  pleasure  of  the  Prince  Regent 
should  be  known,  to  the  rank  of  a  brigadier-general  in  Upper 
Canada.  The  general  order  concluded  by  ordering  "  a  salute  of 
twenty-one  guns  to  be  fired  on  this  glorious  occasion." 

General  Harrison  having  heard  of 
the  exposed  situation  of  General  Win- 
chester's troops  had  ordered  a  detach- 
ment from  General  Perkins's  brigade  to 
march  under  Major  Cotgroves  to  his 
fi-  relief;  but  they  did  not  reach  French- 
;  town  before  the  battle,  and  immediately 
^Jon  their  return  to  the  Rapids,  at  whicli 
"place  General  Harrison  was  then  sta- 
tioned, he  fell  back  eighteen  miles  to 
the  carrying  river,  in  order  to  force  a  junction  with  the  troops  in 
the  rear,  and  to  cover  the  convoy  of  artillery  and  stores  then  coming 
from  Upper  Sandusky.  From  this  place  he  despatched  a  flag 
of  truce,  with  a  surgeon,  to  Maiden  to  attend  to  the  captured  sick 
and  wounded;  his  flag  was  not  respected,  however,  and  one  of  the 
surgeon's  companions  was  killed,  and  himself  wounded  and  taken 
prisoner. 

A  strong  desire  now  prevailed  among  the  troops  to  avenge  the 
loss  of  their  brave  brethren  in  arms,  and  Governor  Meigs  having 
promptly  forwarded  two  regiments  of  Ohio  militia  to  reinforce 
General  Harrison,  he  again  advanced  to  the  Rapids  and  com- 
menced building  a  fort,  which  has  since  been  rendered  memo- 
rable under  the  name  of  Fort  Meigs.  Fortifications  were  at  the 
same  time  constructed  at  Upper  Sandusky,  under  the  direction 
of  General  Crooks.  Whilst  these  precautionary  measures  were 
adopted  for  the  protection  of  the  troops,  and  the  defense  of  the 
territory,  detached  parties  were  frequently  indulged  in  short 
ei'^^-ursions,  none  of  which  resulted  in  any  material  advantage. 
In  one  of  these,  the  commander-in-chief  himself,  marched  to 
Presque  isle  at  the  head  of  a  detachment,  upon  hearing  that  a 
hody  of  Indians  had  collected  at  that  place ;  but  the  Indians  fled 


?1 


136 


SIEGE    OP    PORT    MEIGS. 


I?" 


ll". 


at  his  approach  too  rapidly  to  be  overtaken,  and  he  returned  to  his 
encampment,  after  having  marched  sixty  miles  in  twenty-one 
hours. 

A  few  days  after,  Captain  Langham  was  despatched  to  destroy 
the  Queen  Charlotte,  then  lying  near  Maiden ;  but  the  decayed 
state  of  the  ice  defeated  the  object  of  the  expedition.  In  the  com 
mencement  of  April  a  desperate  affair  took  place  between  an 
equal  number  of  Frenchmen  and  Indians,  who  fought  each  other 
in  canoes,  until  the  greater  part  on  both  sides  were  either  killed 
or  wounded ;  but  no  event  of  any  consequence  occurred  during 
the  remainder  of  the  winter,  the  unauthorized  movement  of  Gene- 
ral Winchester  was  entirely  subversive  of  General  Harrison's 
plans,  and  so  contrary  to  his  arrangements,  that  the  whole  system 
of  organization  was  again  to  be  gone  over.  General  Harrison 
therefore  left  the  troops  strengthening  the  posts  of  Fort  Meigs, 
Upper  Sandusky,  and  Fort  Stephenson,  whilst  he  returned  to 
Ohio  to  consult  with  the  governor,  to  accelerate  the  march  of  the 
reinforcements,  and  to  expedite  the  transportation  of  additional 
stores.  He  had  not  been  long  absent  from  Fort  Meigs,  before 
the  garrison  was  threatened  with  an  attack.  New  levies  were 
hastily  made  from  Ohio  and  Kentucky,  but  as  they  did  not  arrive 
in  time  to  resist  the  enemy,  now  collecting  in  large  numbers  in 
the  neighbourhood,  the  Pennsylvania  brigade  voluntarily  ex- 
tended its  term  of  service,  which  had  just  then  expired. 

General  Harrison  was  apprized  of  this  circumstance  by  de- 
spatch, and  returned  with  all  possible  expedition  to  the  garrison. 
He  arrived  on  the  20th  April,  and  made  instant  preparation  for 
an  approaching  siege.  Patroles  and  reconnoitering  parties  were 
constantly  kept  out,  and  on  the  26th  they  reported  the  enemy — 
on  that  day  the  advance  of  the  enemy  made  its  appearance  on 
the  opposite  shore,  and  were  discovered  viewing  the  works ;  after 
reconnoitering  a  short  time  they  retired.  On  the  following  day 
they  appeared  again ;  but  a  few  eighteen  pound  shot  soon  obliged 
them  to  retreat 

The  fort  was  situated  on  a  commanding  eminence,  and  was 
well  supplied  with  every  necessary  munition  of  war,  but  General 
Harrison  being  desirous  of  putting  his  men  in  the  best  possible 
state  of  security,  was  every  day  erecting  fortifications  of  different 


SIEGE    OF    FORT    MEIOS. 


137 


descriptions.  The  troops  in  the  garrison  were  animated  and 
zealous  in  the  cause  of  their  country,  and  their  exertions  were 
without  parallel.  On  the  28th,  Captain  Hamilton  wtiH  sent  out 
with  a  patrolling  party.  About  three  miles  down  the  river  he 
discovered  the  enemy  in  great  force,  approaching  Fort  Meigs, 
and  immediately  communicated  his  discovery  to  the  general. 

An  express  was  then  sent  to  General  Green  Clay,  who  com- 
manded a  brigade  of  twelve  hundred  Kentuckians,  with  an  order 
for  his  immediate  march  to  Fort  Meigs.  General  Harrison  ad- 
dressed the  troops,  informed  them  of  the  vital  importance  of  every 
man's  being  vigilant  and  industrious  at  his  post,  and  received  as- 
surances that  none  of  them  would  abandon  their  duty.  A  few 
British  and  a  body  of  Indians  commenced  a  very  brisk  fire  from 
the  opposite  shore,  but  the  distance  was  too  great  to  do  injury. 
Their  fire  was  returned  from  two  eighteen  pounders,  and  they 
retired  and  concealed  themselves  from  the  view  of  the  fort.  In 
the  evening,  the  enemy  crossed  the  river  in  boats,  and  selected 
the  best  situations  about  the  fort  to  throw  up  works  for  the  pro- 
tection of  their  battering  cannon.  The  garrison  was  completely 
surrounded,  and  preparations  were  active  upon  one  side  to  storm 
the  fort,  and  on  the  other  to  repel  the  most  vigorous  assault. 
Several  dragoons,  who  had  offered  to  reconnoiter  the  enemy's 
camp,  had  not  proceeded  far  from  the  fort,  when  they  were  fired 
on,  and  one  of  them  was  shot  through  the  arm.  Early  on  the 
morning  of  the  29th,  the  Indians  fired  into  the  fort  with  their 
rifles,  and  mortally  wounded  a  man  who  was  talking  with  the 
general — a  constant  firing  was  kept  up  on  both  sides  during  the 
whole  day.  Several  men  in  the  garrison  were  slightly  wounded, 
and  a  number  of  the  enemy  were  killed.  His  batteries  had  been 
so  far  constructed  during  the  night,  that  sufficient  protection  was 
afforded  to  him  to  work  by  daylight.  Numbers  of  shot  were 
thrown  into  the  breastworks  to  impede  their  progress,  but  before 
night,  he  had  three  batteries  erected,  two  with  four  embrasures 
each,  and  one  bomb  battery. 

On  the  morning  of  the  30th,  the  besiegers  were  discovered  to 
have  extended  their  batteries,  and  to  be  preparing  them  for  the 
cannon.  Their  progress  in  doing  this  was  retarded  by  a  well- 
directed  and  constant  fire  from  the  besieged.    They  were  observed 


Hi 


18 


f 


s. 


13S 


SIEGE    OF    FORT    MEIGS. 


to  carry  away  men  from  the  batteries,  by  which  it  was  supposed 
that  the  fire  from  the  fort  had  either  killed  or  wounded  many  of 
them. 

General  Harrison,  having  a  suspicion  that  the  enemy  intended 
to  surprise  and  storm  the  garrison  in  its  rear,  from  the  circum- 
stance of  a  number  of  boats  having  repeatedly  crossed  from  the 
old  British  garrison  to  the  side  on  which  stood  the  American  fort, 
each  loaded  with  men,  he  gave  orders  for  one-third  of  the  troops 
to  be  constantly  on  guard,  and  the  remainder  to  sleep  with  their 
muskets  in  their  arms,  and  to  be  in  readiness  to  fly  to  their  posts 
at  any  moment.  The  Indians  occupied  all  the  advantageous 
positions  around  the  fort,  and  to  this  and  many  other  discourag- 
ing circumstances  was  added  the  want  of  water,  which  was 
supplied  only  from  the  river,  whence  a  few  men  were  each  night 
obliged  to  obtain  enough  for  the  garrison  for  the  succeeding  day. 
This  they  did  at  an  imminent  risk  of  their  lives,  the  Indians  being 
always  on  the  alert.  During  this  day  there  were  several  killed 
and  wounded  on  both  sides.  In  the  night,  a  gun-boat  which  had 
been  towed  up  the  river  by  the  enemy,  was  placed  near  the  fort, 
and  kept  up  a  fire  at  intervals  upon  it.  No  one  ball  entered  it, 
however,  and  on  the  morning  of  May  1st  she  moved  off,  after 
having  discharged  thirty  shot  without  effect. 

This  morning  the  grand  traverse,  at  which  the  men  had  been 
some  time  engaged,  was  nearly  finished,  and  several  inferior 
ones  were  commenced  in  different  directions.  The  American 
garrison  was  now  in  very  excellent  condition,  and  as  soon  as  the 
well  should  be  finished,  would  defy  the  utmost  power  of  the  be- 
siegers. At  about  ten  o'clock  the  enemy  had  one  cannon  pre- 
pared. With  that  he  kept  up  a  brisk  fire.  In  the  course  of  the 
day  he  opened  several  pieces  on  the  fort,  and  before  night  he  had 
in  operation  one  twenty-four-pounder,  one  twelve,  one  six,  and  a 
howitzer,  from  which  he  fired  two  hundred  and  fifty-six  shot  dur- 
ing the  day,  and  four  at  night,  without  doing  any  material  injury 
to  Fort  Meigs;  though  one  man  was  wounded  mortally,  two 
badly,  and  five  slightly,  and  a  ball  struck  a  bench  upon  which 
General  Harrison  was  sitting.  One  of  their  pieces  was  silenced 
several  times. 

On  the  second  of  May  the  firing  commenced  very  early  with 


SIEGE    OF    FORT    MEIGS. 


139 


bombs  and  balls,  and  continued  until  four  hundred  and  fifty- 
seven  discharges  were  made  in  the  day,  and  four  at  night.  Ame- 
rican loss  this  day,  one  killed  and  ten  wounded,  besides  several 
slightly  touched.  Numbers  of  the  enemy's  warriors  were  carried 
away  from  their  batteries  in  blankets.  On  the  3d,  a  fierce  ai:d 
vigorous  fire  of  bombs  and  cannon  balls  commenced  with  the  day. 
Two  batteries,  one  of  which  was  a  bomb-battery,  were  opened 
upon  the  rear  right-angle  of  the  American  fort,  at  a  distance  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  yards.  Their  fire  was  promptly  returned, 
and  several  times  silenced,  but  they  continued  it  at  intervals  dur- 
ing the  day.  Six  men  were  killed  in  the  fort  and  three  wounded, 
by  the  cannon  and  bombs,  from  which  during  this  day  and  at 
night  there  were  five  hundred  and  sixty-three  shot  and  shells  dis- 
charged. 

The  Indians  ascended  the  trees  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
fort  and  fired  into  it  with  their  rifles,  only  one  man,  however,  was 
killed  by  a  bullet.  On  the  4th  no  firing  took  place  until  eleven 
o'clock.  It  was  at  first  supposed  that  the  enemy  had  exhausted 
himself,  but  at  nine  o'clock  it  was  discovered  that  he  was  erecting 
an  additional  battery,  to  guard  against  which.  General  Harrison 
ordered  a  new  traverse  to  be  constructed.  A  heavy  rain,  which 
fell  in  the  early  part  of  the  day,  retarded  the  firing  on  both  sides. 
The  rifle  was  used  oftener  on  this  than  on  any  other  day.  The 
cannon  shot  did  not  exceed  two  hundred  and  twenty-two.  Seve- 
ral men  were  slightly  wounded,  and  two  killed  in  the  course  of 
the  night.  The  principal  part  of  the  British  were  at  the  old  bat- 
teries on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  one  of  their  ofldcers  of  rank 
crossed  over  within  musket-shot  of  the  fort,  and  was  shot  by 
Lieutenant  Gwynne. 

On  the  5th,  the  fire  from  the  besiegers  was  very  slow,  they 
killed  three  men  with  bombs,  and  discharged  their  pieces  one 
hundred  and  forty-three  times  in  all.  General  Clay  had  put  his 
troops  in  motion  as  soon  as  he  received  General  Harrison's  orders 
of  the  28th  ultimo,  and  had  marched  with  great  expedition.  At 
two  o'clock  on  this  day,  M.  Oliver,  who  had  been  sent  vdth  the 
despatches,  arrived  at  the  fort  with  forty-seven  men  of  General 
Clay's  brigade,  and  informed  General  Harrison  that  the  whole 
detachment  was  within  a  few  hour's  march.  Orders  were  imme- 
68 


140 


DEFEAT  OF  COLONEL  DUDLEY. 


m 


diately  sent  to  General  Clay  to  land  eight  hundred  men  on  the 
opposite  shore,  to  storm  the  enemy's  batteries,  spike  his  cannon, 
and  destroy  his  carriages,  whilst  a  sortie  would  be  circuitously 
made  from  the  fort  for  the  purpose  of  attacking  his  new  works  at 
the  same  instant,  and  compelling  him  to  raise  the  siege.  Colonel 
Dudley  was  charged  with  the  execution  of  this  order,  and  Colonel 
Miller  of  the  19th  United  States  infantry  was  to  command  the 
sortie.  Colonel  Dudley  landed  his  men  from  the  boats  in  which 
they  had  descended  the  river,  and  marched  them  resolutely  up 
to  the  mouth  of  the  British  cannon.  The  four  batteries  were  in- 
stantly carried,  eleven  guns  spiked,  and  the  British  regulars  and 
Canadian  militia  put  to  flight. 

In  pursuance  of  General  Harrison's  orders,  Colonel  Dudley, 
after  having  effected  the  object  of  his  landing,  ought  to  have 
crossed  the  river  to  Fort  Meigs,  but  his  men  were  so  much  elated 
at  the  success  of  their  first  battle,  that  they  were  desirous  of  pur- 
suing and  capturing  the  retreating  enemy.  An  immense  body 
of  Indians  were  at  that  time  marching  to  the  British  camp,  who 
were  met  by  the  regulars  as  they  retired.  AVith  these  they 
formed,  and  putting  the  Indians  in  ambush,  they  made  a  feint 
to  draw  Colonel  Dudley's  men  into  the  woods,  in  which  they  teo 
well  succeeded.  The  Indians  came  out  from  their  ambuscade, 
and  attacked  the  brave  but  indiscreet  Kentuckians.  A  severe 
engagement  took  place,  which  terminated  in  the  death  or  capture 
of  almost  the  whole  detachment,  and  which  was  followed  by  the 
same  kind  of  massacre,  though  not  to  the  same  extent,  which 
succeeded  the  surrender  at  Raisin. 

The  British  intercepted  the  retreat  of  Colonel  Dudley  to  the 
river,  where  he  would  have  been  protected  by  the  guns  of  Fort 
Meigs,  and  only  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  out  of  eight  hundred, 
effected  their  escape.  Forty-five  were  tomahawked,  and  Colonel 
Dudley,  their  gallant  leader,  was  among  the  killed.  He  is  said 
to  have  shot  one  of  the  Indians  after  being  himself  mortally 
wounded.  The  remainder  of  General  Clay's  brigade  assailed  a 
body  of  Indians  in  the  wood  near  the  fort,  and  would  have  been 
also  drawn  into  an  ambush  had  not  General  Harrison  ordered  a 
party  of  drag(»ons  to  sally  out  and  protect  their  retreat  to  the  fort. 

The  contemplated  sortie  was  intended  to  have  been  siinulta^ 


m 


SORTIE    FROM    FORT    MEIGS. 


Ul 


Siejs  of  Fort  Meigs. 


neous  with  the  attacl?  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river ;  but  the 
impetuosity  of  Colonel  Dudley's  troops  defeated  this  project,  and 
Colonel  Miller,  with  part  of  the  19th  and  a  body  of  militia,  in  all 
three  hundred  and  fifty  men,  sallied  forth  after  the  Indians  were 
apprized  of  the  attack  upon  the  old  batteries.  He  assaulted  the 
whole  line  of  their  works,  which  was  defended,  as  has  since  been 
ascertained,  by  two  hundred  regulars,  one  hundred  and  fifty 
militia,  and  four  or  five  hundred  Indians,  and  after  several  bril- 
liant and  intrepid  charges,  succeeded  in  driving  the  enemy  from 
his  principal  batteries  and  in  spiking  the  cannon.  He  then 
returned  to  the  fort  with  forty-two  prisoners,  among  whom  were 
two  lieutenants. 

The  first  charge  was  made  on  the  Indians  and  Canadians  by 
the  battalion  of  Major  Alexander,  the  second  on  the  regulars  and 
Indians  by  Colonel  Miller's  regulars,  the  officers  of  which  were 
Captains  Croghan,  Langham,  Bradford,  Nearing,  and  Lieutenant 
Campbell,  and  a  company  of  Kentuckians,  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Sabrie,  who  distinguished  himself  in  the  first  affair  at 
Frenchtown.  This  company  maintained  its  ground  with  more 
firmness  than  could  have  been  expected  from  a  hasty  levy  of 
militia,  and  against  four  times  its  number.     It  was  at  length, 


W'll 


'.1 


H'Ai^      ' 


I* 


'M.  .     !a 


w^ 


W  .1. 


li. 


m 


142 


THE    SIEGE    RAISED. 


however,  sui  rounded  by  Indians,  and  would  have  been  entirely 
cut  off,  had  not  Lieutenant  Gwynne  of  the  19th  charged  the 
Indians  with  part  of  Captain  Elliot's  company  and  released  the 
Kentuckians. 

On  the  6th,  hostilities  seemed  to  have  ceased  on  both  sides. 
The  besieged  sent  down  a  flag  by  Major  llukill  to  attend  to,  the 
comforts  of  the  American  wounded  and  prisoners,  which  returned 
with  the  British  Major  Chambers,  between  whom  and  the  garri- 
son some  arrangements  were  made  about  sending  home  the  pri- 
soners by  Cleveland.  On  the  7th  there  was  a  continuation  of  bad 
weather.  Flags  were  passing  to  and  from  the  two  armies  during 
the  whole  day,  and  arrangements  were  entered  into  by  which  the 
American  mihtia  were  to  be  sent  to  Huron,  to  return  home  by 
that  route,  and  the  Indians  were  to  relinquish  their  claim  to  the 
prisoners  taken  on  the  opposite  shore,  and  to  receive  in  exchange 
for  them  a  number  of  Wyandotts,  who  had  been  captured  in  the 
sallies  of  the  5th.  During  the  8th  the  exchange  and  intercourse 
of  flags  continued,  and  a  promise  was  made  by  the  British  to  fur- 
nish General  Harrison  with  a  list  of  the  killed,  wounded,  and 
prisoners,  which,  however,  was  not  complied  with.  On  the  9th 
the  enemy  was  observed  to  be  abandoning  his  works,  a  sloop  and 
several  gun-boats  had  been  brought  up  in  the  night  and  were 
receiving  the  cannon — on  being  discovered  a  few  guns  from  Fort 
Meigs  obliged  them  to  relinquish  their  design,  and  by  ten  o'clock 
the  siege  was  raised,  and  the  whole  of  the  enemy's  forces  were 
on  their  retreat. 

Thus  terminated  a  siege  of  thirteen  days,  in  which  the  British 
commander.  General  Proctor,  promised  the  Indian  allies,  that 
the  American  garrison  should  be  reduced,  and  its  defenders  de 
livered  over  to  them  as  prisoners  of  war.  Eighteen  hundred 
shells  and  cannon  balls  had  been  fired  into  the  fort.,  and  a  con 
tinual  discharge  of  small  arms  had  been  kept  up,  yet  the  American 
loss  was  only  eighty-one  killed,  and  one  hundred  and  eighty-nine 
wounded.  Seventeen  only  of  the  former  during  the  siege,  the 
remainder  in  the  sortie,  and  the  different  assaults  of  the  5th.  Of 
the  latter,  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  were  wounded  in  the 
sortie,  and  sixty-six  during  the  siege.  The  loss  of  the  United 
States  regulars  was  one  hundred  and  fifty-six  in  killed  and 


FORCE    OF    THE    BRITISH. 


143 


wounded,  that  of  the  Kentucky  and  Ohio  militia  and  the  twelve 
months  volunteers,  one  hundred  and  fourteen. 

But  Kentucky,  as  on  other  orcasions,  suffered  the  most  severely, 
her  loss  in  killed  and  vi^ounded  aror-^iting  to  seventy-t\\().  The 
daring  intrepidity  of  the  citizen^  of  that  state,  had  continually, 
and  too  often  with  an  indiscreet  impetuosity,  led  them  into  the 
most  dangerous  situations.  It  was  to  this  that  their  defeat  under 
Colonel  Dudley  was  to  be  attributed,  and  because  of  this,  that 
they  lost  in  that  affair  two  hundred  and  upwards  in  killed  and 
missing.  But  it  was  to  this,  also,  that  the  gratitude  of  the  whole 
nation  was  due,  when,  regardless  of  the  blood  which  in  the  first 
stage  of  the  war  she  had  already  freely  and  profusely  shed,  her 
citizens  came  forward  with  uriabating  alacrity,  and  volunteered 
their  services  on  every  hazardous  expedition. 

The  force  under  General  Proctor  was  reported  by  deserters  to 
be  five  hundred  and  fifty  regulars,  and  eight  hundred  militia. 
The  number  of  the  Indians  was  greater  beyond  comparison  than 
had  ever  been  brought  into  the  field  before.  They  were  much 
dissatisfied  at  the  failure  of  the  repeated  attacks  upon  the  fort, 
the  spoils  of  which  had  been  promised  to  them — yet  they  several 
times  during  the  sortie,  prevented  the  capture  of  the  whole  of 
their  allies,  the  British  regulars.  In  one  of  the  assaults,  com- 
manded by  Captain  Croghan,  upon  a  battery  which  was  defended 
by  the  grenadier  and  light  infantry  companies  of  the  41st  regi- 
ment, the  enemy  suffered  severely,  and,  but  for  the  immediate 
assistance  of  the  Indians,  could  not  have  effected  a  retreat,  which 
the  vigour  of  the  assault  compelled  them  to  make. 

General' Harrison  caused  not  only  the  ground  upon  which  the 
enemy's  batteries  had  been  erected  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
fort,  but  that  on  which  Colonel  Dudley's  battle  had  been  fought, 
to  be  strictly  examined ;  on  the  latter,  the  body  of  that  unfortu- 
nate officer  was  discovered  dreadfully  mangled.  The  bodies  of 
several  of  his  detachment  were  also  found,  and  the  whole  were 
collected  and  buried  with  the  honours  and  solemnities  due  to 
their  rank  and  the  occasion.  Offensive  preparations  were  now 
for  a  time  suspended.  The  naval  equipments  on  Lake  Erie  were 
m  active  forwardness,  and  until  these  were  completed,  the  troops 
were  to  remain  at  Fort  Meigs  and  Sandusky.     The  forces  at 


b 


mm 


it 


U 


K  ■. 


I!  V-: 


'imh'' 


I 


144 


GALLANTRY  OF  COLONEL  BALL. 


either  were  adequate  to  its  defense,  and  General  Harrison  left 
General  Clay  in  command  of  the  former,  whilst  he  set  out  for 
the  latter,  and  thence  intended  to  repair  to  Franklinton  to  forward 
new  reinforcements.  In  the  month  of  June  a  general  council  of 
Indian  chiefs  was  assembled  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Seneca 
town,  Lower  Sandusky,  to  which  place  the  head-quarters  of 
General  Harrison  had  been  transferred.  The  result  of  their  de- 
liberations was  an  offer  to  take  up  arms  in  behalf  of  the  United 
States,  and  they  proposed  to  accompany  General  Harrison  into 
Canada.  But  the  incursions  of  the  hostile  chiefs  were  now  more 
frequent  than  before.  Their  depredations  were  extended  along 
the  shores  of  the  lake,  and  many  of  the  inhabitants  were  killed  or 
made  prisoners.  But  a  temporary  check  was  given  to  their  in- 
roads, by  a  squadron  of  dragoons,  who  encountered  and  cut  to 
pieces  a  party  of  the  most  ferocious  of  the  savages. 

Colonel  Ball  was  descending  the  Sandusky  with  twenty-two 
men,  when  he  was  fired  upon  by  about  twenty  Indians  from  an 
ambush.  He  charged  upon  and  drove  them  from  their  ambus- 
cade, and  after  an  obstinate  contest  upon  a  plain,  favourable  to 
the  operations  of  cavalry,  he  destroyed  every  chief  of  the  party. 
During  the  warmest  of  the  engagement,  he  was  dismounted,  and 
in  personal  fight  with  a  warrior  of  great  strength.  They  fought 
with  desperation  until  the  colonel  was  relieved  by  an  officer  who 
shot  down  the  Indian.  The  savages  then  became  furious,  and 
after  giving  their  customary  signal  to  receive  no  quarter,  they 
made  a  vigorous  onset,  and  kept  up  the  contest  until  their  whole 
band  was  destroyed.  This  affair  produced  some  terror  among 
the  Indians,  and  the  persons  and  property  of  the  inhabitants  were 
secured  for  awhile  from  outrage  and  plunder. 

The  conduct  of  this  vigilant  and  able  officer  has  been  frequently 
spoken  of  in  general  orders.  At  the  repulse  of  the  besiegers  of 
Fort  Meigs,  he  was  among  the  most  conspicuous  of  those  officers, 
who  vainly  strove  to  surpass  each  other  in  the  acquittal  of  their 
duty.  To  Majors  Ball,  Todd,  Sodwick,  and  Ritzer,  and  Major 
Johnson  of  the  Kentucky  militia,  the  commander-in-chief  gave 
a  public  expression  of  his  warmest  approbation.  Of  Captain 
Wood,  of  the  engineers,  who  has  since  that  time  so  nobly  dis- 
tinguished himself  in  a  sortie  from  another  garrison,  the  general 


It-.;.- 


PROCTOR  S    SUMMONS. 


140 


said,  that  in  assigning  to  him  the  first  palm  of  merit,  as  far  as  it 
related  to  the  transactions  within  the  works,  he  was  convinced 
that  his  decision  would  be  awarded  by  every  individual  in  camp, 
who  witnessed  his  indefatigable  exertion,  his  consummate  skill 
in  providing  for  the  safety  of  every  point,  and  in  foiling  every 
attempt  of  the  enemy  ;  and  his  undaunted  bravery  in  the  perform 
ance  of  his  duty  in  the  most  exposed  situation.  In  speaking  oi 
the  Kentuckians,  he  said,  that  it  rarely  happened  that  a  general 
had  to  complain  of  the  excessive  ardour  of  his  men,  yet,  that  such 
always  appeared  to  be  the  case  whenever  the  Kentucky  militia 
were  engaged,  and  that  they  appeared  to  think  that  valour  alone 
could  accomplish  any  thing.  The  general  was  led  to  make  this 
remark  from  the  conduct  of  Captain  Dudley's  men,  of  one  of  the 
militia  regiments,  as  he  understood  that  that  gallant  officer  was 
obliged  to  turn  his  espontoon  against  his  own  company,  to  oblige 
them  to  desist  from  a  further  pursuit  of  the  enemy.  This  declarar 
tion  referred  to  the  conduct  of  his  company  in  the  sortie. 

On  the  sixth  or  seventh  day  of  the  siege,  General  Harrison  re- 
ceived from  General  Proctor  a  summons  to  surrender,  which  was 
delivered  in  the  usual  form,  by  Major  Chambers,  who  informed 
the  general  that  the  British  commander  was  desirous  of  saving 
the  effusion  of  blood.  General  Harrison  expressed  great  astonish- 
ment at  this  demand.  As  General  Proctor  did  not  send  it  on  his 
arrival,  he  supposed  that  the  British  officers  believed  he  was 
determined  to  do  his  duty.  Major  Chambers  then  in  vain  at- 
tempted to  pursuade  him  of  the  high  respect  which  General 
Proctor  entertained  for  him  as  a  soldier,  and  informed  him  that 
there  was  now  a  larger  body  of  Indians  assembled  than  had  ever 
been  known  to  have  been  at  one  time  organized.  General  Har- 
rison dismissed  him  with  assurances  that  he  had  a  very  correct 
idea  of  General  Proctor's  force ;  that  it  was  not  such  as  to  create 
the  least  apprehension  for  the  result  of  the  contest ;  that  General 
Proctor  should  never  have  that  post  surrendered  to  him  upon  any 
terms ;  and  that  if  it  should  fall  into  his  hands,  it  should  be  in  a 
manner  calculated  to  do  him  more  honour,  and  to  give  him  larger 
claims  upon  the  gratitude  of  his  government,  than  he  coidd  pos- 
sibly derive  from  any  capitulation. 


vU 


N 


19 


It 


i46 


CAMPAIGN    OF     1813. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

Commfncement  of  t\)t  <if ampaign  of  HMtSa 

RRANGEMENTS  having  been  entered 
into  between  the  American  and  British 
commissaries  to  that  eflfect,  a  mutual  ex- 
change of  prisoners  took  place,  which  re- 
stored to  the  army  of  the  United  States  all 
the  distinguished  officers  who  had  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  during  the 
campaign  of  1812.  Vigorous  preparations 
had,  in  the  mean  time,  been  making  by  the  northern  army  and 
the  army  of  the  centre,  for  opening  the  campaign  of  1813.  Rein- 
forcements of  regulars  from  most  of  the  recruiting  districts,  and 
the  necessary  supplies  of  provisions  and  military  equipments,  had 
oeen  forwarded  with  the  utmost  celerity,  and  every  thing  seemed 
to  promise  a  successful  issue  to  the  contemplated  operations. 

Captain  Forsythe  and  his  company,  consisting  now  of  about 
one  hundred  and  eighty-five  men,  were  still  stationed  at  Ogdens- 
burg  were  he  was  in  command.  Deserters  from  the  Canada  side 
of  the  St.  Lawrence  were  continually  surrendering  themselves  to 
him  at  this  post,  until  their  numbers  became  at  length  so  exten- 
sive, that  the  vigilance  of  the  enemy  was  strongly  excited. 
British  guards  were  repeatedly  sent  over  to  the  American  shore 
in  search  of  them,  and  though  they  succeeded  in  taking  about 
sixteen,  they  committed  so  many  aggressions  upon  tlie  persons 
and  property  of  the  citizens,  that  Captain  Forsythe  determined  on 
attacking  them  in  the  village  of  Elizabethtown,  and  releasing  the 
deserters  whom  they  had  thus  taken  and  imprisoned  at  that  place. 
On  the  6th  of  February,  he  therefore  drafted  a  part  of  his  own 


ATTACK     ON    OGDENSBURO. 


i47 


company,  and  accepted  the  services  of  a  sufficient  number  of 
volunteers  to  make  his  command  amount  to  two  hundred  men. 
With  these,  accompanied  by  Colonel  Benedict  and  several  pri- 
vate gentlemen,  he  proceeded  up  the  river  to  Morristown,  where 
lie  formed  his  men,  and  at  three  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the 
7th  he  crossed  over  to  Elizabethtown,  surprised  the  guard,  took 
fifty-two  prisoners,  among  whom  were  one  major,  three  captains, 
and  two  lieutenants,  and  captured  one  hundred  and  twenty  mus- 
kets, twenty  rifles,  two  casks  of  fixed  ammunition,  and  some  other 
public  property,  without  the  loss  of  a  single  man.  He  then  re- 
leased the  deserters  from  the  jail,  recrossed  the  river,  and  returned 
to  Ogdensburg,  where  he  negotiated  with  two  British  officers  sent 
over  for  that  purpose,  for  the  parole  of  the  prisoners. 

Soon  after  this,  the  movements  of  the  enemy  at  Prescot  were 
indicative  of  an  intention  to  attack  Ogdensburg.  Colonel  Bene- 
dict was  therefore  induced  to  call  out  his  regiment  of  militia,  and 
arrangements  were  immediately  made  for  the  defense  of  the 
place.  On  the  21st  of  February  the  enemy  appeared  before  it 
with  a  force  of  twelve  hundred  men,  and  succeeded  in  driving 
out  Captain  Forsythe  and  his  troops.  The  British  attacked  in 
two  columns,  of  six  hundred  men  each,  at  eight  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  and  were  commanded  by  Captain  M'Donnell  of  the 
Glengary  light  infantry,  and  Colonel  Fraser  of  the  Canadian 
militia.  The  American  riflemen  and  militia  received  them  with 
firmness,  and  contended  for  the  ground  upwards  of  an  hour;  when 
the  superiority  of  numbers  compelled  them  to  abandon  it,  and  to 
retreat  to  Black  Lake,  nearly  nine  miles  from  Ogdensburg,  after 
losing  twenty  men  in  killed  and  wounded.  The  loss  of  the  enemy, 
from  the  deliberate  coolness  with  which  the  riflemen  fired,  was 
reputed  to  have  been  thrice  that  number.  The  British  account, 
which  claimed  the  capture  of  immense  stores,  none  of  which  had 
ever  been  deposited  there,  admitted  the  loss  of  five  distinguished 
officers.  In  consequence  of  this  affair,  a  message  was  sent  by 
the  commandant  of  Fort  George  to  Colonel  M'Feely,  the  com- 
mandant of  Fort  Niagara,  informing  him  that  a  salute  would  be 
fired  the  next  day  in  honour  of  the  capture  of  the  American  vil- 
lage. Colonel  M'Feely  having  received  intelligence  in  the  course 
of  the  same  evening  of  the  capture  of  his  majesty's  fngate  the 


W  lief 


148 


EXPEDITION    AGAINST    YORK. 


»   ' 


Commodore  Cbauncey. 

Java,  returned  the  message  to  the  British  commandant  by  com 
municating  to  him  his  intention  of  firing  a  salute  at  the  same 
hour  from  Fort  Niagara  in  celebration  of  this  brilliant  event. 

On  the  26th  of  March  the  batteries  on  Black  Rock  were  opened 
upon  the  enemy,  and  the  fire  continued  with  little  intermission 
until  night.  The  sailors'  battery  completely  silenced  the  lower 
battery  of  the  enemy,  but  what  damage  was  done  to  his  troops 
has  not  been  ascertained.  One  man  was  killed,  and  several  hurt 
by  accidents  at  the  Rock. 

Reinforcements  were  now  every  day  arriving,  and  the  concen- 
tration of  a  large  force  at  Sackett's  Harbour  was  effected  about 
the  middle  of  April.  Many  of  the  troops  from  Champlain  and 
the  shores  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  among  whom  was  Captain  For- 
sythe's  command,  were  ordered  to  that  pointy  and  it  was  confi- 
dently expected  that  the  camj -^'gn  i^ould  be  commenced  by  the 
invasion  of  Canada  in  or  before  the  following  month  of  May. 
Orders  had  been  given  to  Commodore  Chauncey,  by  the  navy 
department,  to  receive  on  board  the  squadron  the  commanding 


EXPEDITION    AGAINST    YORK. 


149 


general  Dearborn,  and  any  force  which  he  might  destine  to 
proceed  against  the  posts  on  the  British  Niagara  frontier.  A  plan 
had  been  conceived  and  organized  by  General  Dearborn,  by 
which,  in  co-operation  with  the  fleet,  he  was  to  storm  and  carry 
the  works  at  Little  York,  the  capital  of  Upper  Canada,  and  to 
proceed  thence  to  the  assault  of  Fort  George,  the  great  bulwark 
of  that  country. 

The  capital  of  Upper  Canada  was  formerly  known  by  the  name 
of  Toronto,  and  is  situated  at  the  bottom  of  a  harbour  of  the  same 
name,  which  is  formed  by  a  long  and  narrow  peninsula  called 
Gibraltar  Point,  on  the  extremity  of  which  stores  and  block-houses 
are  constructed.  The  garrison  stands  on  a  bank  of  the  main 
land  opposite  to  the  point.  To  the  westward  of  the  garrison  for- 
merly stood  the  old  French  fort  Toronto,  of  which  scarcely  any 
vestiges  remain,  and  adjoining  this  situation  is  a  deep  bay  which 
receives  the  river  Humber.  The  town  of  York  was  projected  to 
extend  to  a  mile  and  a  half  in  length,  from  the  mouth  of  the  har- 
bour along  its  banks.  The  government-house,  and  the  houses 
for  the  distinct  branches  of  the  legislature  were  handsome,  and 
the  view  from  the  latter  highly  diversified. 

Agreeably  to  a  previous  arrangement  with  the  commodore, 
General  Dearborn  and  his  suite,  with  a  force  of  seventeen  hun- 
dred men,  embarked  on  the  22d  and  23d  of  April,  but  the  prevar 
lence  of  a  violent  storm  prevented  the  sailing  of  the  squadron 
until  the  25th.  On  that  day  it  moved  into  Lake  Ontario,  and 
having  a  favourable  wind,  arrived  -safely  at  seven  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  the  27th,  about  one  mile  to  the  westward  of  the  ruins 
of  Fort  Toronto,  and  two  and  a  half  from  the  town  of  York.  The 
execution  of  that  part  of  the  plan  which  applied  immediately  to 
the  attack  upon  York,  was  confided  to  Colonel  Pike,  of  the  15th 
regiment,  who  had  then  been  promoted  to  the  rank  of  a  briga 
dier-general,  and  the  position  which  had  been  fixed  upon  for 
landing  the  troops  was  the  site  of  the  old  fort.  The  approach  of 
the  fleet  being  discovered  from  the  enemy's  garrison.  General 
Sheaffe,  the  British  commandant,  hastily  collected  his  whole 
force,  consisting  of  upwards  of  seven  hundred  and  fifty  regulars 
and  militia,  and  one  hundred  Indians,  and  disposed  them  in  the 
best  manner  to  resist  the  landing  of  the  American  force. 


,v> 


'ht' 


W  M 


i 


150 


ATTACK    ON    YORK. 


A  body  of  British  grenadiers  were  paraded  on  the  shore,  and 
the  Glengary  fencibles,  a  corps  which  had  been  disciplined  with 
uncommon  pains  since  the  commencement  of  the  war,  were  sta- 
tioned at  another  point.  Bodies  of  Indians  were  observed  in 
groups  in  different  directions,  in  and  about  the  woods  below  the 
site  of  the  fort,  and  numbers  of  horsemen  were  stationed  in  the 
clear  ground  surrounding  it.  These  were  seen  moving  into  the 
town,  where  strong  field-works  had  been  thrown  up  to  oppose 
the  assailants.  The  Indians  were  taking  post  at  stations  which 
were  pointed  out  to  them  by  the  British  officers  with  great  skill, 
from  which  they  could  annoy  the  Americans  at  the  point  which 
the  water  and  the  weather  would  compel  them  to  land.  Thus 
posted,  they  were  to  act  as  tirraiUeurs.  The  regulars  were  dis- 
covered to  be  moving  out  of  their  works  in  open  columns  of 
platoons,  and  marching  along  the  bank  in  that  order  into  the 
woods. 

At  eight  o'clock  the  debarkation  commenced ;  at  ten  it  was 
completed.  Major  Forsythe  and  his  riflemen  in  several  large 
batteaux,  were  in  the  advance.  They  pulled  vigorously  for  the 
designated  ground  at  the  site,  but  were  forced  by  a  strong 
easterly  wind  a  considerable  distance  above.  The  enemy  being 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  water,  and  completely  masked  by  the 
thickness  of  a  copse,  commenced  a  galling  fire  of  musketry  and 
rifle.  To  have  fallen  further  from  the  clear  ground  at  which  he 
was  first  ordered  to  land,  would  have  subjected,  not  only  his  own 
corps,  but  the  whole  body  of  the  troops,  to  great  disadvantages ; 
and  by  landing  at  a  greater  distance  from  the  town,  the  object 
of  the  expedition  might  be  frustrated.  Major  Forsythe  there- 
fore determined  upon  making  that  part  of  the  shore  on  which 
the  enemy's  principal  strength  was  stationed,  and  desired  his 
men  to  rest  a  moment  on  their  oars,  until  his  riflemen  should 
loturn  the  shot. 

General  Pike  was  at  this  moment  hastening  the  debarkation 
of  the  infantry,  when,  as  he  was  standing  on  the  ship's  deck,  he 
observed  the  pause  of  the  boats  in  advance,  and  springing  into 
that  which  had  been  reserved  for  himself  and  staff,  he  called  to 
them  to  jump  into  the  boat  with  him,  ordered  Major  King  of 
the  15th  (the  same  who  had  distinguished  himself  in  carryinj? 


CAPTURE   OF   THE    BATTERIES. 


161 


the  enemy's  batteries  opposite  Black  Rock,)  to  follow  him  instantly 
^th  three  companies  of  that  regiment,  and  pushed  for  the  Ca- 
nadian shore.  Before  he  reached  it,  Forsythe  had  landed  and 
was  already  engaged  with  the  principal  part  of  the  British  and 
Indian  force,  under  the  immediate  command  of  General  Sheaflfe. 
He  contended  with  them  nearly  half  an  hour.  The  infantry 
under  Major  King,  the  light  artillery  under  Major  Eustis,  the 
volunteer  corps  commanded  by  Colonel  M'Clure,  and  about  thirty 
men,  who  had  been  selected  from  the  15th  at  Platt^burg,  trained 
to  the  rifle,  and  designed  to  act  as  a  small  corps  of  observation, 
under  Lieutenant  Riddle,  then  landed  in  rapid  succession,  and 
formed  in  platoons. 

General  Pike  took  command  of  the  first,  and  ordering  the 
whole  body  to  prepare  for  a  charge,  led  them  on  to  the  summit 
of  the  bank,  from  which  the  British  grenadiers  were  pouring 
down  a  volley  of  musketry  and  rifle  shot.  The  advance  of  the 
American  infantry  was  not  to  be  withstood,  and  the  grenadiers 
yieldf  d  i  eir  position  and  retired  in  disorder.  The  signal  of 
victory  it  the  same  instant  heard  from  Forsytho's  bugles, 

and  tht.  ':.;.aid  had  no  sooner  penetrated  the  ears  of  the  Indians, 
than  they  gave  a  customary  yell  and  fled  in  every  direction. 
The  Glengar}'-  corps  then  skirmished  with  Forsythe's,  whilst  a 
fresh  body  of  grenadiers,  supposed  to  have  been  the  8th  or  King's 
regiment,  made  a  formidable  charge  upon  the  American  column, 
and  partially  compelled  it  to  retire.  But  the  officers  instantly 
rallied  the  troops,  who  returned  to  the  ground,  and  impetuously 
charged  upon,  and  routed  the  grenadiers.  A  reinforcement  of 
the  remainder  of  the  15th  then  arrived,  with  Captain  Steel's  pla- 
toon, and  the  standards  of  the  regiment,  and  the  Americans 
remained  undisputed  masters  of  the  ground.  A  fresh  front, 
however,  was  presented  by  the  British  at  a  distance,  which  gave 
way  and  retired  to  the  garrison,  as  soon  as  the  American  troops 
were  again  formed,  by  Major  King,  for  the  charge. 

The  whole  body  of  the  troops  being  now  landed,  orders  were 
given  by  General  Pike  to  form  in  platoons,  and  to  march  in  that 
order  to  the  enemy's  works.  The  first  line  was  composed  of 
Forsythc's  riflemen,  with  front  and  flank  guards ;  the  regiments 
of  the  first  brigade,  with  their  pieces ;  and  three  platoons  of 


152 


CAPTURE   OF      THE   BATTERIES. 


' 


t|i 


I  m 


reserve,  under  the  orders  of  Major  Swan;  Major  Eustis  and  hig 
train  of  artillery  were  formed  in  the  rear  of  this  reserve,  to  act 
where  circumstances  might  require.  The  second  line  was  com- 
posed of  the  21st  regiment,  in  six  platoons,  flanked  by  Colonel 
M'Clure's  volunteers,  divided  equally  as  light  troops,  and  all 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Ripley.  Thus  formed,  an  injunc- 
tion was  given  to  each  officer,  to  suffer  no  man  to  load ;  when 
within  a  short  distance  of  the  enemy,  an  entire  reliance  would 
be  placed  on  the  bayonet ;  and  the  column  moved  on,  with  as 
much  velocity  as  the  streams  and  ravines  which  intersected  the 
road  along  the  lake  would  permit.  One  field-piece,  and  a  howit- 
zer, were  with  difficulty  passed  over  one  of  these,  the  bridges 
of  which  had  been  destroyed,  and  placed  at  the  head  of  the 
column,  in  charge  of  Lieutenant  Fanning,  of  the  3d  artillery. 

As  the  column  emerged  from  the  woods,  and  came  immediately 
in  front  of  the  enemy's  first  battery,  two  or  three  twenty-four- 
pounders  were  opened  upon  it,  but  without  any  kind  of  effect. 
The  column  moved  on,  and  the  enemy  retreated  to  his  second 
battery.  The  guns  of  the  first  were  immediately  taken,  and 
Lieutenant  Riddle,  having  at  this  moment  come  up  with  his 
corps,  to  deliver  the  prisoners  ^yhich  he  had  made  in  the  woods, 
v/as  ordered  to  proceed  to  take  possession  of  the  second  battery, 
about  one  hundred  yards  ahead,  the  guns  of  which.  Lieutenant 
Fraser,  aid-de-camp  to  the  general,  reported  to  have  been 
spiked  by  the  enemy,  whom  he  discovered  retreating  to  the  gar- 
rison. General  Pike  then  led  the  column  up  to  the  second  bat- 
tery, where  he  halted  to  receive  the  captured  ammunition,  and 
to  learn  the  strength  of  the  garrison.  But  as  every  appearance 
indicated  the  evacuation  of  the  barracks,  he  suspected  the  enemy 
of  an  intention  to  draw  him  within  range  of  the  shot,  and  then 
suddenly  to  show  himself  in  great  force.  Lieutenant  Riddle  was 
sent  forward  with  his  corps  of  observation,  to  discover  if  there 
were  any,  and  what  number  of  troops,  within  the  garrison. 

The  barracks  were  three  hundred  yards  distant  from  the  second 
battery,  and  whilst  this  corps  was  engaged  in  reconnoitering,  Ge- 
neral Pike,  after  removing  a  wounded  prisoner  from  a  dangerous 
situation,  had  seated  himself  upon  a  stump,  and  commenced  an 
examination  of  a  British  sergeant,  who  had  been  taken  ir   the 


GENERAL   PIKE    WOUNDED. 


Ib3 


vroods.  Riddle  having  discovered  that  the  enemy  had  abandoned 
the  garrison,  was  about  to  return  with  this  information,  when 
the  magazine,  which  was  situated  outside  the  barrack  yard,  blew 
up,  with  a  tremendous  and  awful  explosion,  passed  over  Riddle 
and  his  party,  without  injuring  one  of  his  men,  and  killed  and 
wounded  General  Pike,  and  two  hundred  and  sixty  of  the 
column.  The  severity  of  General  Pike's  wounds  disabled  him 
from  further  service,  and  the  command  of  the  troops  devolveil 
upon  Colonel  Pearce  of  the  16th  regiment,  who  sent  a  command 
to  the  town  of  York  for  an  immediate  surrender.      - 

The  plan  of  the  contemplated  operations  was  known  only  to 
General  Pike,  and,  as  General  Dearborne  had  not  yet  landed, 
the  future  movements  of  the  troops  would  depend  upon  the  will 
of  their  new  commander.  He  ordered  them  immediately  to  form 
the  column,  and  to  march  forward  and  occupy  the  barracks,  which 
Major  Forsythe,  who  had  been  scouring  the  adjoining  wood,  had 
already  entered.  Meanwhile  the  British  regulars  were  retreat- 
ing across  the  Don,  and  destroying  the  bridges  in  their  rear. 
After  the  explosion,  which  killed  about  fifty  of  the  enemy  who 
had  not  retired  in  time  from  the  garrison.  Lieutenant  Riddle 
with  his  party,  then  reinforced  by  thirty  regulars  under  Lieu- 
tenant Horrell  of  the  16th,  pursued  the  enemy's  route,  and  an- 
noyed his  retreating  guard  from  the  wood.  This  was  the  only 
pursuit  which  was  made.  Had  a  more  vigorous  push  followed 
the  abandonment  of  the  enemy's  garrison,  his  whole  regular 
force  must  have  been  captured,  and  the  accession  of  military 
stores  would  have  been  extensively  great.  The  majority  of  the 
officers  were  well  aware  of  this,  and  as  it  was  known  that  the 
stores  were  deposited  at  York,  they  urged  the  necessity  of  an 
immediate  approach  of  the  whole  column,  to  prevent  their 
removal.  < 

Colonel  Pearce  then  marched  towards  the  town,  which  was 
distjmt  three-quarters  of  a  mile.  About  half  way  between  York 
and  the  garrison,  the  column  was  intercepted  by  several  officers 
of  the  Canadian  militia,  who  had  come  out  with  terms  of  capitu- 
lation. Whilst  these  were  discussing,  the  enemy  was  engaged 
in  destroying  the  military  storehouse,  and  a  large  vessel  of  war 

then  on  the  stocks,  which  in  three  days  might  have  been 
*  20 


J  54 


CAPTURE   OF   YORK. 


if 


iL 


5 


launched,  and  added  to  the  American  squadron  on  Lake  Ontario. 
Forsythe,  who  was  on  the  left  in  advance,  being  aware  ^f  this, 
despatched  Lieutenant  Riddle  to  inform  Colonel  Pearce.  Colo. 
nel  Ripley  was  at  the  same  time  urging  a  rapid  march,  and  the 
troops  again  proceeded.  Colonel  Pearce  enjoined  the  observ- 
ance of  General  Pike's  orders,  that  the  property  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  York  should  be  held  sacred,  and  that  any  soldier  who 
should  so  far  neglect  the  honour  of  his  profession,  as  to  be  guilty 
of  plundering,  should,  on  conviction,  be  punished  with  death. 
At?  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  Americans  were  in  posses- 
sion of  the  town,  and  terms  of  capitulation  were  agreed  upon, 
by  which,  notwithstanding  the  severe  loss  which  the  army  and 
the  nation  had  sustained  by  the  death  of  the  general ;  the  un- 
warrantable manner  in  which  that  loss  was  occasion ;  and  the 
subtlety  with  which  the  militia  colonels  offered  to  capitulate  at 
a  distance  from  the  town,  so  that  the  column  might  be  detained 
until  General  Sheaffe  should  escape,  and  the  destruction  of  the 
public  property  be  completed,  although  one  of  its  articles  stipu- 
lated for  its  delivery  into  the  hands  of  the  America,ns ;  the  mi- 
litia were  freed  from  all  hardship,  and  not  only  their  persons 
and  property,  but  their  legislative  hall  and  other  public  build- 
ings were  protected.  The  terms  of  capitulation  were,  "  that  the 
troops,  regulars  and  militia,  and  the  naval  officers  and  seamen, 
should  be  surrendered  prisoners  of  war.  That  all  public  stores, 
naval  and  military ,  sJmild  be  immediately  given  up  to  the  com- 
manding officers  of  the  army  and  navy  of  the  United  States, 
and  that  all  private  property  should  be  guarantied  to  the  citi- 
zens of  the  town  of  York.  That  all  papers  belonging  to  the 
civil  officers  should  be  retained  by  them,  and  that  such  surgeons 
as  might  be  procured  to  attend  the  wounded  of  the  British  regu- 
lars and  Canadian  militia,  should  not  be  considered  prisoners  of 
war."  Under  this  capitulation,  one  lieutenant-colonel,  one  major, 
thirteen  captains,  nine  lieutenants,  eleven  ensigns,  one  deputy 
adjutant-general,  and  four  naval  officers,  and  two  hundred  and 
fifty-one  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates,  were  surren- 
dered. The  American  infantry  were  then  ordered  to  return  to, 
and  quarter  in,  the  barracks,  while  the  riflemen  were  stationed 
in  tV  Hwn.      ,  ,        , 


When  Ge 
was  removec 
wounded  aic 
exclamation 
American  ha 
He  expresst 
transferred  f 
made  a  sign 
to  him,  to  be 
Thus  perish 
ofa  vanquis 
rage; — a  ge 

When  th< 
ing  from  the 
lation,  and 
militia.  Tl 
after  the  reg 
fore,  consid 


i 


DEATH    OF    f;ENERAL    PIKE. 


Ifl? 


Qeiieral  Pike. 


When  General  Pike's  wound  was  discovered  to  be  mortal,  he 
was  removed  from  the  field,  and  carried  to  the  shipping,  with  his 
wounded  aids.  As  they  conveyed  him  to  the  water's  edge,  a  sudden 
exclamation  was  heard  from  the  troops,  which  informed  him  of  the 
American  having  supplanted  the  British  standard  in  the  garrison 
He  expressed  his  satisfaction  by  a  feeble  sigh,  and  after  being 
transferred  from  the  Pert  schooner  to  the  commodore's  ship,  he 
made  a  sign  for  the  British  flag,  which  had  then  been  brought 
tx)  him,  to  be  placed  under  his  head,  and  expired  without  a  groan 
Thus  perished  in  the  arms  of  victory,  by  the  ungenerous  stratagem 
of  a  vanquished  foe,  a  soldier  of  tried  valour  and  invincible  cou- 
rage;— a  general  of  illustrious  virtues  and  distinguished  talents. 

When  the  British  general  saw  the  American  column  advanc 

ing  from  the  woods,  he  hastily  drew  up  the  articles  of  the  capitu 

lation,  and  directed  them  to  be  delivered  to  a  colonel  of  the  York 

militia.    This  colonel  was  instructed  to  negotiate  the  terms, 

after  the  regulars  should  have  retreated.  General  Sheaffe,  there 

fore,  considered  the  garrison  to  be  as  much  surrendered,  as  if 
o 


168 


CAPTURE    OF    MUNITIONS    OF    WAR. 


h,3..    .'-/' 


T  a-i  h- 


w 


!(■■» 
■4J 


the  articles  had  been  actually  agreed  upon  and  signed.     Yet  he 
treacherr/jsly  ordered  a  train  to  be  laid,  which  it  was  so  cal- 
culaled,  that  the  explosion  of  the  magazine  should  be  caused,  at 
the  time  when  the  Americans  should  arrive  at  the  barracks. 
Had  not  General  Pike  halted  the  troops  at  the  enemy's  second 
battery,  the  British  plan  would  have  attained  its  consummation, 
and  the  destruction  of  the  whole  column  would  have  been  the 
natural  consequence.    The  train  had  been  skilfully  laid,  and 
the  combustibles  arranged  in  a  manner  to  produce  the  most 
dreadful  effect.     Five  hundred  barrels  of  powder,  several  cart- 
loads of  stone,  and  an  immense  quantity  of  iron,  shells,  and 
shot,  were  contained  in  the  magazine.     The  calamity  which 
followed  the  explosion,  caused  no  discomfiture  among  the  troops. 
A  number  of  their  officers  of  high  rank,  and  of  equal  worth, 
were  either  killed  or  wounded,  and  they  became  actuated  by  a 
desire  to  revenge  their  fall.    "  Push  on,  my  brave  feUwvs,  and 
avenge  your  genera!"  were  the  last  words  of  their  expiring  com- 
mander.    They  instantly  gave  three  cheers,  formed  the  column, 
and  marched  on  rapidly.     Had  they  been  led  directly  to  York, 
the  issue  of  the  expedition  would  have  been  fruitful  with  advan- 
tages.    As  it  was,  however,  the  enemy's  me.iiis  were  crippled, 
his  resources  cut  off,  and  the  military  stores  of  the  captors,  ex- 
tensively multiplied.     Most  of  the  guns,  munitions  of  war,  and 
provisicis,  necessary  to  carry  on  the  campaign  by  the  enemy, 
had  been  deposited  at  York,  and  notwithstanding  the  firing  of 
the  princi})al  storehouse,   an  immense  quantity  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Americans.     The  baggage  and  private  papers  of 
General  Slieaffe  were  left  at  York,  in  the  precipitation  of  his 
flight,  and  proved  to  be  a  valuable  acquisition  to  the  American 
commander.    These  and  the  public  stores  were  the  only  articles 
of  capture.     The  conduct  of  the  troops  needed  no  restraint. 
Though  their  indignation  was  highly  excited,  by  the  circum- 
stances of  a  scalp  having  been  found  suspended  near  the  speaker's 
chair,  in  the  legislative   chamber,   neither  the  ornaments  of 
the  chamber,  the  building  itself,  nor  the  public  library,  were 
molested.     A  large  quantity  of  flour  deposited  in  the  public 
wores,  was  distributed  among  the  inhabitants,  on  condition  that 
It  should  be  used  for  their  own  consumption;  and  those  whose 


CO-OPERATION    OF    THE    FLEET.  159 

circumstances  were  impoverished,  were  supplied  with  many 
other  articles  of  the  captured  provisions.  The  balance  was  taken 
on  ooard  the  fleet,  with  the  naval  stores,  or  destroyed  upon  the 
shore. 

Immediately  after  the  fall  of  General  Pike,  the  commander- 
in-chief  landed  with  his  staff,  but  he  did  not  reach  the  troops 
until  they  had  entered  York.  He  there  made  arrangements  to 
expedite  their  departure  for  the  other  objects  of  the  expedition, 
and  they  were  soon  after  re-embarked. 

The  co-operation  of  the  squadron  was  of  the  greatest  import- 
ance to  the  attack  upon  the  enemy's  garrison.  As  soon  as  the 
debarkation  was  completed.  Commodore  Chauncey  directed  the 
schooner  to  take  a  position  near  the  forts,  in  order  that  the  attack 
of  the  army  and  navy,  might  if  possible,  be  simultaneous.  The 
larger  vessels  could  not  be  brought  up,  and  in  consequence  of  the 
wind,  the  schooners  were  obliged  to  beat  up  to  their  intended 
position.  This  they  did,  under  a  very  heavy  fire  from  the 
enemy's  batteries,  and  having  taken  their  station  within  six 
hundred  yards  of  the  principal  fort,  opened  a  galling  fire,  and 
contributed  very  much  to  its  destruction.  The  loss  on  board  the 
squadron,  was  three  killed  and  eleven  wounded.  Among  the 
kUled  were  midshipmen  Thompson  and  Hatfield,  the  latter  of 
whom,  in  his  dying  moments,  had  no  other  care  than  to  know 
if  he  had  performed  his  duty  to  his  country. 

In  the  action  the  loss  of  the  American  army  was  trifling ;  but 
in  consequence  of  the  explosion,  it  was  much  greater  than  the 
enemy's  loss  in  killed  and  wounded.     Fourteen  were  killed  and 
thirty-two  wounded  in  battle,  and  thirty-eight  were  killed  and 
two  hundred  and  twenty-two  wounded  by  the  explosion,  so 
that  the  total  American  loss  amounted  to  three  hundred  and 
twenty  men.    Among  those  who  fell  by  the  explosion,  besides 
General  Pike,  were  seven  captains,  seven  subalterns,  one  aid-de- 
camp, one  acting  aid,  and  one  volunteer  aid.     The  enemy's  loss 
in  killed  and  wounded  amounted  to  -        -        -        -    200 

Militia  prisoners,   ------        600 

Regulars,  prisoners,  ------      60 

Total.    -        -        - 750 


160 


CASUALTIES. 


.1  ;>'(  ■' ' 
I  k 


I  1     «■ 


I-  >< 


lihf" 


It 


His  wounded  were  left  in  the  houses  on  the  road  leading  to 
and  in  the  neighbourhood  of,  York,  and  were  attended  to  by  the 
American  army  and  navy  surgeons.  The  prisoners  were  all 
paroled,  and  the  troops  withdrawn  from  York  immediately  after 
its  capture. 

The  officers  of  the  16th  greatly  distinguished  themselves 
throughout  the  day.  The  death  of  their  gallant  leader,  who  had 
personally  organized  that  regiment,  and  had  already  successMy 
led  detachments  of  it  to  the  field,  inspired  them  with  a  more 
determined  spirit  to  revenge  the  barbarous  act  of  a  defeated 
enemy,  than  could  be  felt  by  any  other  corps.  Animated  by 
this  desire,  with  hearts  panting  for  its  fulfilment,  they  anxiously 
pressed  forward,  and  had  they  been  permitted  to  pursue  the 
retreating  column  of  the  English,  under  the  distinguished  officer 
(Major  King)  who  now  commmanded  them,  General  SheafFe 
and  his  regulars  could  not  have  effected  their  escape.  Several 
platoon  officers  of  this  and  the  16th  regiment  were  killed.  Cap- 
tains  Nicholson  and  Lyon  by  the  explosion — Captain  Hoppock, 
as  his  company  were  landing.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Mitchell  of 
the  3d  regiment  of  artillery,  acted  as  a  volunteer  on  the  expedi- 
tion,  fif.d  by  his  indefatigable  exertions,  at  every  post  ot  danger, 
gavf.  Htrong  presages  of  that  gallantry,  by  which  he  has  since 
idcLdfied  himself  with  the  bravest  officers  of  the  army.  Major 
Euf^tis,  Captains  Scott,  Young,  Walworth,  and  M'Glassin,  and 
Stephen  H.  Moore  of  the  Baltimore  volunteers,  who  lost  a  leg 
by  the  explosion,  and  Lieutenants  Fanning  and  Riddle,  were 
among  the  most  conspicuous  officers  of  the  day.  The  latter  had 
been  expressly  selected  by  General  Pike,  from  his  own  regiment, 
to  command  the  corps  of  observation,  and  was  always  appointed 
to  the  most  hazardous  enterprises. 

Lieutenant  Bloomfield  of  the  15th,  and  nephew  to  Brigadier- 
General  Bloomfield,  was  also  killed.  The  army  sustained  another 
loss  in  the  death  of  this  brave  young  officer.  The  21  st  regiment, 
under  Colonel  Ripley,  though  it  formed  part  of  the  reserve,  and 
did  not  participate  in  the  action  at  the  place  of  landing,  was  in  a 
state  of  strict  discipline,  and  manoeuvered  with  great  skill. 

On  the  1st  day  of  May  the  Canadian  territory  in  the  neigh 
bourhood  of  York,  was  entirely  evacuated.    The  troops  were  all 


J 


OPERATIONS  OF  COMMODORE  CHAUNCEY. 


161 


placed  in  the  vessels  to  which  they  had  been  respectively  assigned, 
and  a  small  schooner  was  despatched  to  Niagara  to  apprize  Gene- 
ral Morgan  Lewis,  then  in  command  at  that  place,  of  the  result 
of  the  expedition  against  York,  and  of  the  intended  approach  of 
the  troops  toward  Fort  Niagara. 

But  the  fleet,  which  consisted  of  about  seventeen  sail,  did  not 
leave  the  harbour  of  York  until  the  8th,  in  consequence  of  the 
prevalence  of  contrary  winds.  Late  on  that  day  they  arrived  at 
Four  Mile  Creek,  which  empties  into  the  lake  at  that  distance 
below  Fort  Niagara,  and  thence  takes  its  name.  Here  the  troops 
vtrere  landed. 

On  the  9th,  two  schooners,  under  command  of  Lieutenant, 
Pettigrew  of  the  navy,  were  ordered  to  proceed  to  the  hep/l  of 
Lake  Ontario,  with  one  hundred  regulars,  commanded  by  Captain 
Willoughby  Morgan,  of  the  12th  regiment,  to  destroy  or  capture 
the  public  stores,  which  were  then  known  to  be  deposited  there. 
On  their  arrival,  the  enemy's  guard,  of  about  eighty  men,  retired, 
the  public  buildings  were  destroyed  by  the  detachment,  th  ?  stores 
brought  away,  and  the  expedition  returned  on  the  11th  without 

loss.  *'■'    '-■-'■''""'    "    ''        '^''''  .     ^     ■'"         :■•  *    ..  ■      ■/ 

On  the  10th  Commodore  Chauncey  sailed  with  the  remainder 
of  the  fleet,  to  convey  the  wounded  officers  and  men  to  Sackett's 
Harbour,  and  to  obtain  reinforcements  there  for  the  army.  Be- 
tween the  time  of  his  arrival  at  the  harbour  and  the  22d  of  May, 
detachments  of  the  squadron  sailed  on  different  days  for  Niagara, 
with  such  reinforcements  as  could  be  spared.  Having  directed  the 
ijchooners  Fair  American  and  Pert,  commanded  by  Lieutenants 
Chauncey  and  Adams,  to  remain  near  the  hp-bour,  and  to  watch 
the  enemy's  movements  from  Kingston,  the  coir'  '.T!  .dore  sailed  on  the 
22d  with  three  hundred  and  fifty  of  Colonel  Macomb's  regiment  of 
artillery,  and  a  number  of  additional  gun",  and  arrived  at  the  Ni- 
agara on  the  25th.  Arrangements  were  i  n^  mediately  made  between 
Commodore  Chauncey  and  General  Dearborn,  for  an  attack  upon 
Fort  George  and  its  dependerxcies. 

On  the  26th  the  commodore  reconnoitered  the  position  at  which 
the  troops  were  to  be  landed,  and  at  night  sounded  the  shore,  and 
placed  buoys  at  stations  for  the  small  vessels.  The  weather,  which 
had  been  for  several  days  extremely  boisterous,  now  moderated, 


o2 


21 


102 


ATTACK    OF    FORT    GEORGE. 


and  it  was  agreed  that  a  conjoint  attack,  by  the  army  and  navy, 
should  be  made  on  the  following  morning.  A  sufficient  quantity 
of  boats,  to  land  the  troops  in  the  order  of  attack,  had  been  by  this 
time  provided,  and  a  considerable  number  which  had  been  for 
several  days  building  at  the  Five  Mile  Meadows,  above  the  fort, 
were  now  in  readiness  to  be  launched  into  the  Niagara  river. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  26th,  the  enemy,  having  observed  the 
preparations  for  launching  the  boats,  opened  a  small  battery, 
which  had  been  erected  immediately  opposite  the  Meadows,  for 
the  purpose  of  annoying  the  workmen  and  of  destroying  the  boats. 
The  fire  from  this  battery  produced  a  premature  cannonade  be- 
tween Forts  George  and  Niagara,  which  was  followed  by  a  bom- 
bardment  between  all  the  batteries  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
two  forts.  The  battery  which  stood  directly  opposite  Fort  George, 
did  great  injury  to  that  garrison,  and  its  guns  were  directed  with 
such  precision  that  the  halyards  of  the  enemy's  flag  staff  were 
shot  away.  No  block  house  or  wooden  building  of  any  descrip- 
tion, in  or  near  that  fort,  escaped  injury ;  whilst  on  the  American 
side,  not  the  most  trifling  loss  was  sustained..  The  boats,  in  the 
mean  time,  succeeded  in  passing  Fort  George,  and  proceeded  to 
the  encampment  at  Four  Mile  creek. 

On  the  same  night  all  the  artillery,  and  as  many  troops  as  could 
possibly  be  accommodated,  were  put  on  board  the  Madison,  the 
Oneida,  and  the  Lady  of  the  Lake.  The  remainder  were  to 
embark  in  the  boats,  and  to  follow  the  fleet.  At  three  o'clock  on 
the  morning  of  the  27th,  signal  was  made  for  the  fleet  to  weigh 
anchor.  In  consequence  of  the  calmness  of  the  weather,  the 
schooners  were  obliged  to  resort  to  sweeps  to  attain  their  posi- 
tions ;  which  they  did  in  the  following  order — Sailing-masters 
Trant,  in  the  Julia,  and  Mix,  in  the  Growler,  took  their  stations 
at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  silenced  a  battery,  which,  from  its 
situation,  commanded  the  shore  where  the  troops  were  to  land, 
about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  below  the  town  of  Newark.  Mr. 
Stevens  in  the  Ontario,  took  a  position  to  the  north  of  the  light- 
house, near  which  this  battery  was  erected,  and  so  close  to  the 
shore  as  to  enfilade  the  battery,  and  cross  the  fire  of  the  Julia  and 
Growler.  Lieutenant  Brown  in  the  Governor  Tompkins,  stationed 
himself  near  the  Two  Mile  creek,  on  the  enemy's  side,  where  a 


ATTACK  ON  FORT  GEORGE. 


163 


battery  had  been  erected  of  one  heavy  gun.  Lieutenant  Pettigrew 
ill  the  conquest,  anchored  to  the  south-east  of  the  same  battery, 
opened  on  it  in  the  rear,  and  crossed  the  fire  of  the  Governor 
Tompkins.  Lieutenant  M'Pherson  in  the  Hamilton,  Lieutenant 
Smith  in  the  Asp,  and  Sailing-Miister  Osgood  in  the  Scourge, 
took  stations  near  the  above,  to  cover  the  landing  and  to  scour  the 
woods  and  the  plain.  This  disposition  was  skilfully  effected,  and 
each  vessel  was  within  mjiisket-shot  of  the  shore. 

At  four  o'clock.  Generals  Dearborn  and  Lewis,  with  their 
suites,  went  on  board  the  Madison,  and  by  that  hour  the  troops 
were  all  embarked.  The  whole  number  amounted  to  more  than 
four  thousand.  The  batteries  were  now  playing  upon  each 
other  from  the  opposite  sides  of  the  river,  and  the  troops  advanced 
at  int'^rvals  in  three  brigades.  The  advance  was  led  by  Colonel 
Scoti.  It  was  composed  of  the  artillery  acting  as  infantry ;  of  For- 
sythe's  riflemen ;  and  of  detachments  from  infantry  regiments ; 
.md  landed  near  the  fort,  which  had  been  silenced  by  the  Governor 
Tompkins. 

General  Boyd,  to  whom  the  late  General  Pike's  brigade  had 
been  assigned,  commanded  the  first  line,  which  was  flanked  by 
Colonel  M'Clure's  Baltimore  and  Albany  volunteers.  This  bri- 
gade struck  the  enemy's  shore  immediately  after  the  advance 
had  landed.  The  second  brigade  under  General  Winder,  followed 
next,  and  then  the  third  under  General  Chandler.  While  the 
troops  were  crossing  the  lake  in  this  order,  the  wind  suddenly 
sprang  up  very  fresh  from  the  eastward,  and  caused  a  heavy 
sea  directly  on  the  shore ;  the  boats  could  not  therefoie  be  got 
off  to  land  the  troops  from  the  Madison  and  Oneida  before  the 
first  and  second  brigades  had  advanced,  and  Macomb's  regiment, 
and  the  marines  under  Captain  Smith,  did  not  reach  the  shore 
until  the  debarkation  of  these  brigades  had  been  completed. 

When  the  advance,  which  consisted  of  about  five  hundred 
men,  was  approaching  the  point  of  landing,  successive  volleys 
of  musketry  were  poured  upon  it  by  twelve  hundred  regulars, 
who  were  stationed  in  a  ravine.  A  brisk  exchange  of  shot  was 
kept  up  for  fifteen  minutes ;  the  advance,  nevertheless,  continu- 
ing to  approach  the  enemy  without  faltering.  Such,  indeed, 
was  the  eagerness  of  the  troops,  that  officers  and  men  jumped 


'n. 


$1 


164 


CAPTURE  OF  FORT  GEORGE. 


into  the  lake  and  waded  to  the  shore.  Captain  Hindman  of  the 
2d  artillery,  was  the  first  man  upon  the  enemy's  territory.  The 
troops  were  now  formed  with  celerity,  and  led  to  the  charge. 
They  drove  the  enemy  from  their  strong  hold,  and  dispersed 
them  in  every  direction ;  some  of  their  forces  taking  to  the  wood 
for  shelter,  and  others  retreating  to  the  fort.  The  former  were 
vigorously  pursued  by  Forsythe's  riflement,  and  the  latter  by 
thc  advance  corps,  and  the  first  brigade.  Few  shot  were  fired 
from  the  fort,  the  panic  being  instantly  communicated  to  the 
garrison.  Fort  Niagara  and  its  dependent  batteries  were  still 
throwing  in  their  shot,  and  Fort  George  having  become  untena- 
ble, the  enemy  hastily  laid  a  train  to  the  magazines,  abandoned 
all  their  works,  and  moved  off  with  the  utmost  precipitation  in 
different  routes.  Colonel  Scott  with  his  light  troops  continued 
the  pursuit,  until  he  was  recalled  by  an  order  from  General 
Boyd.  Lieutenant  Riddle  had  been  sent  by  Colonel  Scott  with 
his  detached  party,  to  annoy  the  rear  of  the  enemy,  but  not  being 
ordered  back,  at  the  time  when  the  light  troops  were  recalled, 
he  followed  his  route  to  Queenstown,  and  took  up  several  of  his 
straggling  parties.  The  dragoons  under  Colonel  Burn,  crossed 
the  Niagam  river  above  Fort  George,  at  the  moment  the  pur- 
suit was  stopped.  The  light  troops  now  took  possession  of  Fort 
George ;  Colonel  Scott,  and  Captains  Hindman  and  Stockton, 
with  their  companies,  entering  first  and  extinguishing  the  fires, 
which  were  intended  to  explode  the  magazine :  one  had,  how- 
ever, already  been  blown  up.  General  Boyd  and  Colonel  Scott 
mounted  the  parapet,  and  cut  away  the  staff,  whilst  Captain 
Hindman  succeeding  in  taking  the  flag  which  the  enemy  IkkI 
left  flying,  and  which  he  forwarded  to  General  Dearborn.  The 
American  ensign  was  then  hoisted  in  the  toAvn  and  fort,  and  all 
the  tr6ops  were  called  in  and  quartered.  At  twelve  o'clock 
Newark,  and  all  its  surrounding  batteries,  were  in  quiet  possession 
of  the  American  army — and  such  was  the  speed  with  which  the 
enemy  retreated,  that  very  few  of  his  troops  were  overtaken. 
General  Dearborn's  forces  had  been  under  arms  eleven  hours, 
and  were  too  much  exhausted  to  pursue  him  with  as  much  ra- 
pidity as  he  moved  off. 
At  the  time  the  enemy  abandoned  his  works,  the  wind  had 


I 


■x 


MM. 


I 


increased  s 
shores  that 
diiferent  ve 
extreme, 
whole  fleet 
anchored  h 
the  action  •< 
the  advanc 
the  loss  of 
hundred  ai 
one  hundr€ 
of  his  worn 
So  that  the 
of  his  reg\ 
The  militi 
hundred  a 
nf  eight  h 
thirty-nine 
Among  th 
Ught  artilL 
Captain  Ai 
tain  Roach 
Queenstov 
for  his  goo 
sythe's  rifl 
tion,  and  ( 
taken  pris( 
In  spea 
General  I 
behaved  tc 
dation. 
departmen 
covered  tl 
determina 
the  animal 
deserved 
chief,  was 
aitillery; 


LOSS  OF  THE   ENEMY. 


167 


increased  so  much  and  the  sea  had  become  so  violent  toward  the 
shores  that  the  situation  of  the  fleet  at  the  stations  which  the 
different  vessels  had  taken,  was  thought  to  be  dangerous  in  the 
extreme.  Commodore  Chauncey  therefore  made  signal  for  the 
whole  fleet  to  weigh,  and  to  proceed  into  the  river,  where  they 
anchored  between  the  Forts  George  and  Niagara.  Although 
the  action  was  fought  by  inferior  numbers  on  the  American  side, 
the  advance,  and  part  of  Boyd's  brigade  only  being  engaged, 
the  loss  of  the  enemy  was  excessive.  He  had  in  killed  one 
hundred  and  eight,  in  wounded  one  hundred  and  sixty-three, 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  regulars  were  taken  prisoners,  exclusive 
of  his  wounded,  all  of  whom  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans. 
So  that  the  loss  of  the  enemy  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners, 
of  his  regular  force,  amounted  to  three  hundred  and  eighty-six. 
The  militia  prisoners  who  were  paroled  to  the  number  of  five 
hundred  and  seven,  being  added  to  their  loss,  makes  a  total 
of  eight  hundred  and  ninety-three.  The  American  army  lost 
thirty-nine  in  killed,  and  one  hundred  and  eleven  in  wounded. 
Among  the  former  only  one  officer.  Lieutenant  Hobart  of  the 
light  artillery.  Among  the  latter  were  Major  King  of  the  15th, 
Captain  Arrowsmith  of  the  6th,  Captain  Steele  of  the  16th,  Cap- 
tain Roach  of  the  23d,  (who  had  been  wounded  at  the  battle  of 
Queenstown  heights,  and  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain 
for  his  good  conduct  there,)  and  Lieutenant  Swearingen  of  For- 
sythe's  riflemen.  The  British  49th  (Invincibles)  was  in  this  ac- 
tion, and  Colonel  Myers,  who  commanded  it,  was  wounded  and 
taken  prisoner. 

In  speaking  of  the  conduct  of  the  soldiers  and  seamen,  both 
General  Dearborn  and  Commodore  Chauncey  alleged  that  all 
behaved  too  well  to  suffer  the  election  of  any  one  for  commen- 
dation. The  former,  however,  in  a  second  despatch  to  the  war 
department,  stated  that  the  whole  of  the  officers  and  men  dis- 
covered that  readiness  and  ardour  for  action,  which  evinced  a 
determination  to  do  honour  to  themselves  and  their  country — that 
the  animating  'examples  set  by  General  Boyd  and  Colonel  Scott, 
deserved  particular  mention,  and  that  he,  the  commander-in- 
chief,  was  greatly  indebted  to  Colonel  M.  Porter,  of  the  light 
aitillery;  to  Major  Armistead,  of  the  3d  regiment  of  artillery; 


m 


Iff- 


%\l^ 


^x 


168 


CHAUNCEY   AND   PERRY. 


and  to  Captain  Totten,  of  the  engineers,  for  their  skilful  execu- 
tion,  in  demolishing  the  enemy's  forts  and  batteries.  Lieute- 
nant-commandant Oliver  H.  Perry  had  joined  the  squadron  on 
the  night  of  the  26th,  volunteered  his  services  in  the  contem- 
plated attack,  and  rendered  great  assistance  in  arranging  and 
superintending  the  debarkation  of  the  troops.  On  board  the 
squadron,  the  loss  was  one  killed  and  two  wounded.  Commo- 
dore Chauncey  was  indefatigable  in  his  co-operations  with  the 
army,  in  all  its  important  movements.  In  this  affair  many  of 
the  advantages  which  were  obtained,  were  to  be  attributed  to  his 
judicious  plan  of  silencing  the  enemy's  batteries.  General 
Dearborn  had  been  confined  for  several  days  by  a  violent  indis- 
position ;  but  he  refused  to  yield  the  command  of  the  expedition, 
and  issued  his  orders  regularly  froni  his  bed. 

Captain  Perry  was  despatched  to  Black  Rock  the  day  after 
the  battle,  with  fifty  seamen  to  take  five  vessels  to  Lake  Erie  as 
soon  as  possible,  and  to  prepare  the  whole  squadron  for  the  ser- 
vice by  the  15th  of  June.  Two  brigs  had  been  launched  at 
Erie,  and  two  or  three  small  schooners,  had  been  purchased  into 
the  service.  The  squadron  was  daily  expected  to  be  in  readi- 
ness to  proceed  to  Presque  isle,  to  co-operate  with  the  norths 
western  army. 

On  the  28th,  General  Dearborn  having  received  information 
that  the  enemy  had  made  a  stand  on  the  mountain,  at  a  place 
called  Beaver  Dam,  where  he  had  a  deposit  of  provisions  and 
stores ;  and  that  he  had  been  joined  by  three  hundred  regulars 
from  Kingston,  landed  from  small  vessels,  at  the  head  of  the 
lake,  immediately  ordered  General  Lewis  to  march  to  that  place, 
with  Chandler's  and  Winder's  brigades,  the  light  artillery,  dra- 
goons, and  riflemen,  to  cut  off  his  retreat.  Although  the  ene- 
my's troops  from  Fort  Erie  and  Chippewa,  had  joined  his  main 
body  at  Beaver  Dam,  he  precipitately  broke  up  his  encampment 
on  the  approach  of  the  Americans,  and  fled  along  the  mountains 
to  the  head  of  the  lake.  General  Lewis's  army  moved  on,  and 
took  possession  of  the  different  posts  between  Fort  George  and 
Fort  Erie,  the  latter  of  which  was  entered  by  Lieutenant^Colo- 
nel  Preston,  of  the  15th,  in  the  evening  of  that  day;  the  post 
liaving  been  prenously  abandoned,  and  the  magazines  blown  up 


SURPRISED   BY   THE   ENEMY. 


169 


by  the  enemy.  Two  days  before,  the  Queen  Charlotte,  and 
three  others,  of  the  enemy's  vessels,  came  down  to  that  fort,  but 
on  hearing  of  the  capture  of  Fort  George,  they  proceeded  up 
the  lake  to  Maiden. 

The  enemy,  having  abandoned  all  his  positions  along  the  Nia- 
gara, General  Lewis  returned  with  his  division  to  Fort  George ; 
but  as  it  was  rumoured  that  General  Proctor  intended  to  march 
from  the  north-western  frontier,  to  join  General  Vincent,  who 
had  already  marched  from  that  place ;  and  to  retrieve  the  mis- 
fortunes of  the  British  arms,  it  became  necessary  to  press  forward 
with  a  force  competent  to  prevent  the  union  of  the  British  gene- 
rals, or  at  least  to  intercept  them  in  their  contemplated  route. 
General  Winder  was,  therefore,  despatched  on  the  1st  day  of 
June,  with  his  own  brigade  and  one  regiment  of  General  phan- , 
dler's.  He  was  followed  on  the  3d,  by  the  remainder  of  Chandler's 
brigade,  the  dragoons  and  artillery,  under  the  orders  of  that 
general,  to  whom  the  chief  command  was  assigned.  They  pro- 
ceeded to  the  Forty  Mile  Creek,  where  they  gained  intelligence 
of  General  Vincent's  having  taken  a  stand  Burlington  Heights, 
near  Stony  Creek,  being  about  forty-eight  miles  distant  from 
the  Fort  George. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Stony  Creek  the  Americans  encamped; 
but  in  so  careless  a  manner  that  they  were  surprised  by  the 
enemy  at  midnight,  and  several  of  their  principal  officers  made 
prisoners.  General  Vincent,  it  has  been  supposed,  became  pos- 
sessed of  the  American  countersign — and  having  discovered 
that  the  weakest  part  of  the  camp  was  its  centre,  he  made  an 
attack  upon  it,  at  that  point,  at  two  o'clock  on  the  morning  of 
the  6th.  Profiting  by  the  example  of  the  Americans  at  York, 
he  ordered  that  no  musket  should  be  loaded,  lest  a  precipitate 
fire  might  apprize  his  unsuspecting  enemy  of  his  advance,  and 
led  up  the  8th  or  King's  regiment,  and  the  49th,  with  fixed 
bayonets,  to  charge  upon  the  sentinels. 

The  American  advanced  guard,  under  command  of  Captain 
Van  Vechton,  were  first  alarmed  by  the  groan  of  a  dying  senti- 
nel, and  were  surprised  and  made  prisoners.  Five  pieces  of 
light  artillery,  near  the  front  were  captured,  and  turned  upon 
the  encampment,  before  the  alarm  became  general.     The  tv^o 

P  22 


i 

m 

m 


m.  1 


170 


CAPTURE    OF    CHANDLER    AND    WINDER. 


;"ii 


iii 


h 


brigadiers,  Chandler  and  Winder,  who  had  but  an  hour  before 
separated  from  a  council,  were  instantly  mounted,  and  the  men 
formed  with  as  much  facility  as  the  extreme  darkness  of  the 
morning  would  permit.  General  Chandler  took  post  in  the  rear 
of  the  left  flank  of  the  right  wing — General  Winder  commanded 
the  left  wing.  Such  was  the  momentary  confusion  which  pre- 
vailed, that  the  contending  parties  could  not  distinguish  each 
other.  When  the  five  pieces  of  artillery  were  fired  into  the 
encampment,  Generals  Chandler  and  Winder  both  rode  up  to 
the  battery,  to  prevent  another  discharge,  under  an  impression 
that  the  American  troops  had  mistaken  the  enemy.  They  were 
both  consequently  captured. 

The  other  officers  were  ignorant  of  the  loss  of  their  generals, 
and  each  chose  his  own  plan  of  resisting  the  assailing  party. 
The  advanced  corps,  the  5th,  25th,  and  part  of  the  23d,  were 
engaged ;  those  in  the  rear  did  not  get  to  the  assistance  of  the 
front.  The  16th,  which  because  of  the  illness  of  its  colonel,  and 
the  absence  of  its  lieutenant-colonel,  and  other  field-officers,  was 
commanded  by  Captain  Steel,  was  forming  on  its  standards, 
when  the  cavalry,  under  Colonel  Burn,  having  cut  their  way 
through  the  British  49th,  with  such  impetuosity,  that  they  could 
not  stop,  pierced  through  the  centre  of  that  regiment.  The  con- 
fusion increased.  The  different  companies  of  the  16th,  were 
firing  on  each  other;  the  artillery  were  engaging  the  infantry; 
and  the  cavalry  the  artillery;  each  ,rps  being  under  an  im- 
pression, that  it  was  contending  with  the  enemy. 

This  state  of  things  contiuuerl,  until  Captain  Towson  opened 
his  artillery,  which,  being  stationed  more  in  the  rear  than  any 
of  the  other  pieces,  he  brought  against  the  enemy  with  such 
effect,  that  the  confusion  and  disorder,  which  had  taken  place 
in  the  American  lines,  prevailed  also  within  the  British.  The 
companies  of  the  2d  artillery,  which  were  then  acting  as  light 
corps,  under  Captains  Hindman,  Nicholas,  Biddle,  and  Archer, 
kept  up  an  incessant  fire,  until  the  dawn  of  the  day  enabled  the 
troops  to  distinguish  each  other.  An  attempt  was  then  made  to 
form  the  line.  Colonel  Burn  now  commanding. 

The  5th  regiment,  which  had  been  annoying  the  enemy  from 
the  commencement  of  the  action  until  daybreak,  did  not  lose 


m 

HWi 

Um 

72 


4^1 


^^^i 


one  man,  an 
on  its  left 
The  firing  1 
The  enemy 
cliarged  upi 
direction,  ai 
His  horse  a 
was  discov( 
day,  almost 
of  action. 

Several  ( 
fled,  to  taki 
recovered  o 
tenant  M'D 
and  recover 
men,  as  we 
Steele,  and 
in  general 
Burn  and  < 
and  were  s£ 

The  Amf 
wounded,  ii 
and  ninety 
fifty-four, 
enemy — wl 
officers.     0 
tured,  and  t 
regiment,  ^ 
from  a  prin^ 
of  his  not 
An  engagei 
against  the 
his  health. 

In  the  CO 
to  obtain  p 
wounded, 
bouring  ho 
the  army  h 


RESULTS    OF    THE    BATTLE. 


173 


one  man,  and  was  found  at  that  time  formed  in  line,  and  sustained 
on  its  left  flank  by  part  of  the  "3d,  under  Major  Armstrong. 
The  firing  from  the  encampment  became  brisk,  and  irresistible. 
The  enemy  gave  way,  rallied,  and  broke  again.  The  dragams 
charged  upon,  and  completely  routed  them.  They  fled  in  every 
direction,  and  their  commanding  officer  was  missing  before  day. 
His  horse  and  accoutrements  were  found  upon  the  ground  He 
was  discovered  by  his  own  people,  in  the  course  of  the  same 
day,  almost  famished,  at  a  distance  of  four  miles  from  the  scene 
of  action. 

Several  desperate  efforts  had  been  made,  before  the  enemy 
fled,  to  take  the  artillery.  Lieutenant  Machesney's  gallantry 
recovered  one  piece,  and  prevented  the  capture  of  others.  Lieu- 
tenant M'Donough  of  the  2d  artillery,  pursued  a  retreating  party, 
and  recovered  another.  The  good  conduct  of  these  brave  young 
men,  as  well  as  that  of  Captains  Hindman,  Nicholas,  Archer, 
Steele,  and  Leonard,  of  the  light  artillery,  has  been  spoken  of 
in  general  orders,  in  terms  of  strong  commendation.  Colonel 
Burn  and  Colonel  Milton,  gallantly  distinguished  themselves, 
and  were  said  to  have  saved  the  army. 

The  American  loss  in  this  affair  was  sixteen  killed,  thirty-eight 
wounded,  i»nd  two  brigadier-generals,  one  ir  or,  three  captains, 
and  ninety  four  men  missing ;  making  in  all,  one  hundred  and 
fifty-four.  The  whole  of  the  missing  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy — wl  ose  loss  was  excessively  severe,  but  particularly  in 
officers.  Oae  hundred  prisoners,  mostly  of  the  49th,  were  cap- 
tured, and  transported  to  Fort  George.  Captain  Manners,  of  that 
regiment,  was  taken  in  his  bed,  by  Lieutenant  Riddle,  who, 
from  a  principle  of  humanity,  put  him  on  his  parole,  on  condition 
of  his  not  serving  the  enemy,  until  he  should  be  exchanged. 
An  engagement  which  that  officer  violated  by  appearing  in  arms 
against  the  American  troops,  immediately  after  the  recovery  of 
his  health. 

In  the  course  of  the  morning,  the  British  sent  a  flag  of  truce, 
to  obtain  permission  to  bury  their  dead,  and  to  remove  their 
wounded.    The  latter,  however,  had  been  placed  in  the  neigh 
bouring  houses,  under  the  care  of  the  American  surgeons,  and 
the  army  having  given  up  the  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  had  fallen 

rS 


174 


BATTLE    OF    FORTY    MILE    CREE". 


§ih'<i  '  'i, 


I'  *  h 
I,  ' 
I' 


B-:s" 


back  to  Forty  Mile  Creek,  being  about  ten  milrsf  i..  tiio  rear  of 
the  field  of  battle.  Here  it  encamped,  on  a  plain  f  a  uuly  jn 
width,  its  right  flank  on  the  lake,  its  left  on  a  creek,  skirting  the 
base  of  a  perpendicular  mountain,  and  was  joined  on  the  same 
evening,  by  a  detachment  of  the  6th  and  16th  regiments,  and  a 
park  of  artillery  under  Colonel  James  Miller.  On  the  7th, 
Generals  Lewis  and  Boyd  arrived  at  the  encampment,  and  the 
former  assumed  the  command. 

Intelligence  had  been  immediately  forwarded  by  General 
Vincent,  to  Sir  James  L.  Yeo,  then  commanding  the  British 
fleet  on  Lake  Ontario,  of  the  affair  at  Stony  Creek,  and  of  the 
position  at  which  the  Americans  had  encamped.  In  the  evening 
of  the  7th,  the  fleet  appeared  within  sight  of  the  encampment, 
Its  character  was  not  known,  however ;  but  lest  an  attack  might 
be  again  made  upon  the  army  in  the  night,  the  troops  were 
ordered  to  lay  on  their  arms.  At  daylight,  on  the  8th,  the  enemy's 
squadron  were  stationed  abreast  of  the  encampment,  and  within 
one  mile  of  the  shore.  A  large  schooner  was  warped  in,  and 
opened  her  fire  on  the  boats,  which  had  been  employed  to  trans 
port  the  American  baggage,  and  which  at  that  time  lay  upon  the 
beach.  Captains  Archer  and  Towson,  were  ordered  down,  with 
four  pieces  of  artillery,  to  resist  her  attempts  to  destroy  the  boats, 
and  Captain  Totten,  of  the  engineers,  prepared  a  temporary 
furnace,  for  heating  shot,  and  had  it  in  operation  in  less  than 
half  an  hour.  The  fire  of  the  schooner  was  then  returned  with 
such  vivacity  and  effect,  that  she  was  very  soon  obliged  to  retire 

At  this  moment,  a  party  of  Indians  showed  themselves  upon 
the  brow  of  the  mountain,  and  commenced  a  fire  on  the  camp. 
General  Lewis  despatched  a  party  from  the  13th  regiment, 
under  Colonel  Christie,  to  dislodge  them,  but  that  service  was 
performed  by  his  adjutant,  Lieutenant  Eldridge,  who' seeing  the 
necessity  of  driving  off  the  Indians,  had  gallantly  gained  the 
summit  of  the  mountain,  with  a  few  volunteers,  without  orders, 
and  repulsed  the  enemy  before  Colonel  Christie  could  reach  that 
point.  Sir  James  then  demanded  the  surrender  of  the  army,  on 
tae  ground  of  its  having  a  fleet  in  its  front,  a  lx)dy  of  savages  in 
its  rear,  and  a  powerful  army  of  British  regulars  on  its  flanks. 
To  this  demand  it  was  deemed  unnecessary  to  make  a  reply :  but 


s  / 


OENEHAL    VINCENT    8    REPORT. 


175 


fa  General  Dearborn  had  sent  an  express  to  call  the  troops  to 
Fort  George,  upon  seeing  the  British  fleet  pass  that  post,  General 
Lewis  prepared  to  retire  in  obedience  to  this  order.  The  camp 
equipage  and  baggage  were  placed  in  the  boats,  and  were  ordered 
to  proceed  to  Fort  George,  under  protection  of  Colonel  Miller's 
command,  which  was  competent  to  resist  any  attack  which  might 
be  made — ^but  they  put  from  the  shore  before  the  detachment 
came  up ;  and  after  proceeding  about  five  miles,  were  dispersed 
by  an  armed  schooner  of  the  enemy.  Twelve  of  them  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  British  squadron,  and  the  remainder  either 
escaped,  or  ran  ashore,  and  were  deserted  by  their  crews.  At 
ten  o'clock  the  encampment  was  broken  up,  and  the  troops  took 
up  their  march  for  Fort  George,  having  the  enemy's  Indians 
on  their  flank  until  they  arrived  within  a  short  distance  of  the 
garrison. 

The  British  fleet  continued  to  cruise  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
th.^  Niagara,  and  intercepted  the  supplies  for  the  American  army. 
Two  vessels,  having  each  a  valuable  cargo  of  hospital  stores, 
were  chased  into  Eighteen  Mile  Creek,  and  after  making  a  short 
but  obstinate  resistance,  were  carried  by  boarding,  and  the  stores 
immediately  transferred  to  the  enemy's  vessels.  A  party  of 
seventy-five  men  had  been  forwarded  by  General  Lewis  to  repel 
the  enemy's  attack,  but  did  not  reach  the  place  in  time  to  prevent 
the  capture. 

The  official  account  given  by  General  Vincent  of  the  surprise 
of  the  encampment,  claims  a  decisive  and  brilliant  victory  on  the 
side  of  the  British ;  and  announces  that  the  whole  body  of  the 
American  troops  had  been  resolutely  driven  from  the  field ;  but 
the  same  general  was  known  to  have  abandoned  the  command  of 
the  enterprise  as  soon  as  the  alarm  was  given  in  General  Chan- 
dler's encampment,  and  to  have  consigned  its  execution  to  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Harvey  and  Majors  Ogilvie  and  Plenderleath,  each 
of  whom  acknowledged  a  numerous  loss  of  their  most  valuable 
officers  and  men.  General  Vincent's  report  to  his  government 
could  not,  therefore,  have  been  given  on  his  own  responsibility. 
On  whatever  side  the  victory  may  have  been  gained,  however, 
great  want  of  knowledge  in  military  movements  had  been  pre- 
viously betrayed  by  the  officers  who  succeeded  to  the  command 


i>  I;' 


ll,"''     . 'i' .' 


176 


ATTACK    ON    SACKETT   S    HARBOUR. 


of  the  American  forces  at  Little  York  and  Fort  George,  in  suffer. 
ing  a  beaten  enemy  to  escape  from  each  of  those  places.  At  the 
former  General  Sheaffe  and  his  regulars  effected  a  retreat  through 
the  palpable  tardiness  of  the  victorious  army.  At  the  latter,  the 
same  troops  which  attacked  the  encampment  at  Stony  Creek, 
were  so  closely  pressed  that  they  must  inevitably  have  been  cap- 
tured, had  not  the  light  troops,  under  Adjutant-General  Scott  and 
Colonel  Miller,  been  called  in  from  the  pursuit.  The  result  of 
these  errors  was  fruitful  with  the  most  evil  consequences.  The 
recapture  of  all  the  important  posts  on  the  British  Niagara,  which 
had  been  taken  at  the  expense  of  so  much  blood,  and  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  garrisons  on  the  American  side  of  that  river,  which 
happened  not  many  months  after,  were  among  the  least  pernicious 
of  a  long  train  of  disasters.  A  development  which  can  only  be 
produced  by  the  gradual  lapse  of  time  may  enable  a  future  his- 
torian to  throw  the  censure  on  the  proper  objects.  No  discovery 
has  yet  been  made  which  will  allow  the  present  recorder  of  these 
events  to  form  any  other  idea  than  that  which  is  founded  on  un- 
certainty and  conjecture,  which  do  not  go  to  the  constitution  of 
such  an  authentic  history  of  the  war,  as  it  has  been  his  utmost 
endeavour  to  compile. 

Whilst  the  troops  were  preparing  to  embark  at  York  for  the 
expedition  against  Fort  George,  the  British  at  Kingston  havintr 
gained  intelligence  of  their  absence  from  Sackett's  Harbour,  of 
the  batteries  at  that  place  having  been  principally  dismantled, 
and  of  the  smallness  of  the  force  which  had  been  left  for  its  pro- 
tection, hastily  collected  all  their  disposables  and  embarked  on 
board  their  fleet  under  the  command  of  Sir  George  Prevost.  The 
fleet  was  commanded  by  Sir  James  Yeo.  On  the  night  of  the 
27th  of  May,  five  hours  after  the  capture  of  Fort  George,  the 
British  appeared  off  the  entrance  to  the  harbour.  The  American 
force  consisted  of  two  hundred  invalids,  and  two  hundred  and 
fifty  dragoons,  then  newly  arrived  from  a  long  and  fatiguing 
march.  Two  small  vessels,  under  Lieutenant  Chauncey,  were 
stationed  at  its  mouth  and  gave  instant  signals  of  alarm  at  tlie 
approach  of  the  British  squadron.  Expresses  were  immediately 
forwarded  to  General  Brown,  then  at  his  seat  eight  miles  from 


ATTACK    ON    SACKETT'S    HARBOUR. 


177 


1!'  m 


W-  • 


Defense  of  Saekett's  Harbour. 


^  tk 


V 


the  harbour,  and  he  immediately  repaired  thither  to  take  the 
command. 

The  tour  of  duty  of  the  militia  of  his  brigade  had  expired  many 
weeks  before,  but  he  had  been  requested  by  General  Dearborn 
to  take  command  of  the  harbour  at  any  time  when  the  enemy 
should  approach  it,  and  to  provide  for  its  defense.  Immediately 
on  his  arrival  dispositions  were  made  to  that  effect.  The  move- 
ments of  the  enemy  indicated  his  intention  to  land  on  the  penin- 
sula called  Horse  island.  General  Brown,  therefore,  determined 
on  resisting  him  at  the  water's  edge  with  the  Albany  volunteers, 
under  Colonel  Mills,  and  such  militia  as  could  be  instantly  col 
lected.  Alarm  guns  were  therefore  fired,  and  expresses  sent  out 
for  that  purpose.     Lieutenant-Colonel  Backus,  of  the  1st  regi 

S3 


m 
"■*! 


?.' ) 


m 


m( 


i^lii-: 


■»£•    ;'  •<  •;  i:  »■ 


r:i 


)K: 


178 


ATTACK    ON    SACKETT's    HARBOUR. 


ment  United  States  dragoons,  who  commanded  at  Sackett'g 
Harbour  in  the  absence  of  the  officers  who  had  proceeded  to  Fort 
George,  was  to  form  a  second  line  with  the  regulars.  The  regular 
artillerists  were  stationed  in  Fort  Tompkins,  and  the  defense  of 
Navy  Point  was  committed  to  Lieutenant  Chauncey. 

On  the  28th,  the  Wolfe,  the  Royal  George,  the  Prince  Regent, 
the  Earl  of  Moira,  and  one  brig,  two  schooners,  and  two  gun 
boats,  with  thirty-three  flat  bottomed  boats  and  barges,  containino; 
in  all  twelve  hundred  troops,  appeared  in  the  offing,  at  five  miles 
distance.  They  were  standing  their  course  for  the  harbour,  when, 
having  discovered  a  fleet  of  American  barges,  coming  round 
Stony  Point,  with  troops  from  Oswego,  the  whole  of  their  boats 
were  immediately  despatched  to  cut  them  off.  They  succeeded 
in  taking  twelve  of  them,  after  they  had  been  run  on  shore  and 
abandoned  by  their  crews,  who  arrived  at  the  harbour  in  the 
night.  The  remainder,  seven  in  number,  escaped  from  their 
pursuers,  and  got  safely  in. 

The  British  commanders,  being  then  under  an  impression  that 
other  barges  would  be  sailing  from  Oswego,  stood  into  South 
Ba}--,  and  despatched  their  armed  boats  to  waylay  them.  In  this 
they  were  disappointed ;  and  during  the  delay  which  was  caused 
by  this  interruption  of  their  intended  operations,  the  militia  from 
the  neighbouring  counties  collected  at  the  harbour,  and  betrayed 
great  eagerness  to  engage  in  the  contest  with  the  invading  enemy, 
They  were  ordered  to  be  stationed  on  the  water  side,  near  the 
island  on  which  Colonel  Mills  was  posted  with  his  volunteers. 
The  strength  at  that  })oint  was  nearly  five  hundred  men.  But 
the  whole  force,  including  the  regulars,  effectives,  and  invalids, 
did  not  exceed  one  thousand. 

The  plan  of  defense  had  been  conceived  with  great  skill,  and 
if  the  conduct  of  the  militia  had  proved  to  be  consistent  with 
their  promises,  it  would  have  been  executed  with  equal  ability. 
Disposed  of  as  the  forces  were,  in  the  event  of  General  Brown's 
being  driven  from  his  position  at  Horse  Island,  Colonel  Backus 
was  to  advance  with  his  reserve  of  regulars,  and  meet  the  head 
of  the  enemy's  column,  whilst  the  general  woul4  rally  his  corps, 
and  fall  upon  the  British  flanks.  If  resistance  to  the  attack  of 
the  enemy  should  still  fail,  Lieutenant  Chauncey  was  to  destroy 


ATTACK    ON    SACKETT'S    HARBOUIl. 


179 


the  stores  at  Navy  Point,  and  to  retire  with  his  two  schooners, 
and  the  prize  schooner,  the  Duke  of  Gloucester,  which  had  been 
a  few  weeks  before  captured  from  the  enemy,  to  the  south  shore 
of  the  bay,  and  east  of  Fort.  Volunteer.  In  this  fort  tlie  regulars 
and  militia  were  to  shut  themselves  up,  and  make  a  vigorous 
stand,  as  their  only  remaining  resort.  Every  thing  being  thus 
ordered,  General  Brown  directed  his  defensive  army  to  lay  upon 
their  arms,  whilst  he  continued  personally  to  reconnoiter  the 
shores  of  the  harbour,  during  the  whole  night  of  the  28th.  At 
the  only  favourable  point  of  landing,  he  had  caused  a  breastwork 
to  be  thrown  up,  and  a  battery  en  barbette,  to  be  erected.  Behind 
this  most  of  the  militia  were  stationed. 

At  the  dawn  of  the  29th,  the  enemy  was  discovered  with  his 
vessels  drawn  up  in  line,  between  Horse  Island  and  Stony 
Point ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  all  his  boats  and  barges  approached 
the  shore  under  cover  of  his  gun-boats,  those  being  the  heaviest 
of  his  vessels,  which,  in  consequence  of  the  lightness  of  the  v/ind 
could  be  brought  up.  The  troops  with  which'  the  boats  were 
filled,  were  commanded  by  Sir  George  P revest  in  person.  Com- 
modore Yeo  directed  the  movements  of  the  barges.  General 
Brown  instantly  issued  his  orders,  that  the  troops  should  lie 
close,  and  reserve  their  fire  until  the  enemy  should  have  ap- 
proached so  near  that  every  shot  might  take  (idbct.  This  order 
was  executed,  and  the  fire  was  so  destructive,  that  the  enemy's 
advance  Ijoats  were  obliged  to  make  a  teivponiry  pause,  and 
numbers  of  their  officers  and  men  were  seen  i  /  lAl 

Encouraged  by  the  desired  effect  of  the  fist  fire,  the  militia 
loaded  their  pieces  with  the  utmost  quickii("HH,  mu\  the  artillery 
was  ordered  to  be  opened  at  the  moniP'  t  of  their  soir-id.  But, 
before  the  second  round  had  been  c^^ruplotely  (liMchargod,  the 
whole  body  of  the  militia,  none  of  whom  htul  of  (!r  scon  an  (?nemy 
until  now,  and  who  were  entirely  unaccustomed  to  subordination, 
though  they  were  well  protected  by  the  breastwork,  rose  from 
behind  it,  and  abandoning  those  honourable  promises  of  noble 
daring  which  they  had  made  but  a  little  while  before,  ♦hey  fled 
with  equal  precipitation  and  disorder,  A  strange  and  unaccount- 
able panic  seized  the  whole  line,  and  with  tlie  exc»M*iion  of  a 
very  few,  terror  and  dismay  were  depicted  in  every  couTitenance 


'n  '\h 


lii  ''^'w  ' 


180 


ATTACK    ON    SACKjITTS    HARBOUR. 


Colonel  Mills,  vainly  endeavouring  to  rally  his  men,  was  killed 
as  he  was  reminding  them  of  the  solemn  pledges  which  they  had 
given ;  but  the  fall  of  this  brave  officer  served  rather  to  increase 
their  confusion  than  to  acia?te  them  to  revenge  it. 

General  Brown  seeing  that  his  plan  was  already  frustrated,  and 
fearing  his  inability  to  execute  any  other,  without  the  vigorous 
co-operation  of  the  militia,  hastened  to  intercept  their  retreat,  and 
finding  one  company  of  about  one  hundred  men,  who  had  been 
rallied  by  the  active  and  zealous  conduct  of  Captain  M'Nitt  of 
that  corps,  he  brought  them  up  and  ordered  them  to  form  in  line 
with  the  regulars  and  volunteers  who  htid  continued  to  keep  their 
ground. 

In  the  interval  which  had  thus  elapsed,  the  enemy  had  effected 
his  debarkation  with  little  opposition,  and  drawing  up  his  whole 
force  on  Horse  island,  he  commenced  his  march  for  the  villaore ; 
on  the  road  to  which  he  was  met  by  a  small  party  of  infantry, 
under  Major  Aspinwall,  and  a  few  dismounted  dragoons  under 
Major  Laval,  who  opposed  him  with  much  gallantry.  Two  of 
the  gun-boats  ranged  up  the  shore  and  covered  the  field  with 
grape.  This  handful  of  troops  then  gradually  retired  in  good 
order  from  an  immense  superiority  of  numbers,  and  occupied  the 
intervals  between  the  barracks. 

lEUTENANT-COLONEL  BACKUS,with 
his  reserve  of  regulars,  first  engaged  the 
enemy,  when  the  militia  company  of  Captain 
M'Nitt  was  formed  on  his  flank,  and  in  the 
vigorous  fight  wliich  then  followed,  this  com- 
pany behaved  with  as  much  gallantry  as  the 
bravest  of  the  regulars.  The  whole  force  was  compelled  to  fall 
back,  however,  by  the  superior  strength  of  the  enemy's  column, 
and  resorting  to  the  barracks  for  what  sh  :!lter  they  could  afford, 
they  posted  themselves  in  the  unprotected  log-houses  and  kepi 
up  an  incessant  and  effective  fire.  From  these,  the  most  violent 
assaults,  and  the  repeated  and  varying  efforts  of  the  British  were 
incom.petent  to  dislodge  them.  Colonel  Gray,  the  quartermaster- 
general  of  the  enemy's  forces,  advanced  to  the  weakest  part  of 
<he  barracks  at  the  head  of  a  column  of  regulars,  and  after  ex- 


u    »i 


ir  '^u 


*  ;i .  ■.- 


^ 


changing  i 
his  men  oi 
Major  Asp 
colonel,  irr 
ment  Liei 
severely  w 
considered 
piece  whili 
elevation,  ( 
enemy,  wl 
Lieutenan 

Whilst  1 
mation  wa 
the  Ameri 
to  his  prei 
barracks,  i 
had  previo 
and  equip] 
struction  < 
thence  pre 
of  the  enei 
teers,  and 
between 
fiffht  on 
their  capt 

Genera 
operations 
diversion 
be  the  onl 
troops, 
stations  ir 
dispersed 
scene  of ; 
of  their 
shameful 
him,  and 
refuse, 
a  stratag 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  BARRACKS. 


183 


changing  shots  with  an  inferior  party  of  militia  and  regulars,  led 
his  men  on  to  the  assault.  A  small  boy,  who  was  a  drummer  in 
Major  Aspinwall's  corps,  seized  a  musket  and  leveling  it  at  the 
colonel,  immediately  brought  him  to  the  ground.  At  that  mo- 
ment Lieutenant  Fanning  of  the  artillery,  who  had  been  so 
severely  wounded  by  the  explosion  at  Little  York,  and  was  yet 
considered  to  be  unable  to  do  any  kind  of  duty,  leaned  upon  his 
piece  whilst  it  was  drawn  up,  and  having  given  it  the  proper 
elevation,  discharged  three  rounds  of  grape  into  the  faces  of  the 
enemy,  who  immediately  fell  back  in  disorder.  At  this  instant 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Backus  fell  severely  wounded. 

Whilst  the  battle  was  raging  with  its  greatest  violence,  infor- 
mation was  brought  to  Lieutenant  Chauncey  of  the  intention  of 
the  American  forces  to  surrender.  He  therefore,  in  conformity 
to  his  previous  orders  relating  to  such  an  event,  fired  the  navy 
barracks,  and  destroyed  all  the  property  and  public  stores  which 
had  previously  belonged  to  the  harbour,  as  well  as  the  provisions 
and  equipments  -which  had  been  brought  from  York.  The  de- 
struction of  these  buildings,  and  the  conflagration  which  was 
thence  produced,  was  thought  to  have  been  caused  by  the  troops 
of  the  enemy,  and  although  the  undisciplined  militia  and  volun- 
teers, and  the  invalid  regulars,  were  suspicious  of  being  placed 
between  the  fire  of  two  divisions  of  the  enemy,  they  continued  to 
fiorht  on  regardLss  of  their  inferiority,  or  the  consequences  of 
their  capture. 

General  Browi*  was  all  this  time  actively  superintending  the 
operations  of  his  little  army.  He  now  determined  on  makmg  a 
diversion  in  its  favour,  which,  if  it  should  be  successful,  would 
be  the  only  means  of  saving  the  p'^oe,  or  of  relieving  his  exhausted 
troops.  Having  learned  that  the  militia  who  had  fled  from  their 
stations  in  the  early  part  of  the  engagament  had  not  yet  entirely 
dispersed,  and  that  they  were  still  within  a  short  distance  of  the 
scene  of  action,  he  hf  stened  to  exhort  them  to  imitate  the  conduct 
of  their  brave  brethren  in  arms.  He  reproached  them  with 
shameful  timidity,  and  ordered  them  instantly  to  form  rnd  follow 
him,  and  threatened  with  instant  deatli  the  first  man  vvLo  should 
refuse.  His  order  was  obeyed  with  alacrity.  He  then  attempted 
a  stratageni  by  which  to  deceive  the  enemy  with  regard  to  the 


184 


RETREAT    OF    THE    BRITISH. 


;<r 


I'     ;> 

i 


•V 


Retreat  of  the  British  rrom  Sackett's  Harbour. 


forces  against  which  he  was  contending.  Silently  passing  through 
a  distant  wood  which  led  toward  the  place  at  which  the  enemy 
had  landed,  General  Brown  persuaded  the  British  general  of  his 
intention  to  gain  the  rear  of  his  forces,  to  take  possession  of  the 
boats  and  effectually  to  cut  off  their  retreat. 

This  was  done  with  such  effect,  at  the  moment  when  the  fire 
of  Lieutenant  Fanning's  piece  had  caused  the  destruction  in  the 
British  line,  that  General  Sir  George  Prevost  was  well  convinced 
of  the  vast  superiority  of  the  American  force  to  his  own.  He  gave 
up  all  thoughts  of  the  capture  of  the  place,  and  hurrying  to  his 
boats,  put  off  immediately  to  the  British  squadron.  He  was  not 
pursued,  because  if  the  real  number  of  the  American  troops  had 
been  exposed  to  his  view,  he  would  have  returned  to  the  contest, 


LOSSES    AT   SACKETTS    HARBOVR. 


185 


might  easily  have  outflanked,  and  in  all  human  probability  would 
still  have  captured  the  army  and  the  village. 

But  the  precipitation  of  his  flight  was  such,  that  he  left  not 
only  the  wounded  bodies  of  his  ordinary  men  upon  the  field,  but 
those  of  the  dead  and  wounded  of  his  most  distinguished  officers. 
Among  these  were  Quartermaster-General  Gray,  Majors  Moodie 
and  Evans,  and  three  captains.  The  return  of  his  loss,  as  accu- 
rately as  it  has  been  ascertained,  amounted  to  three  field  officers, 
one  captain,  and  twenty-five  rank  and  file  found  dead  on  the  field; 
two  captains  and  twenty  rank  and  file  found  wounded ;  and  two 
captains,  one  ensign,  and  thirty-two  rank  and  file  made  prisoners. 
In  addition  to  which,  many  were  killed  in  the  boats,  and  num- 
bers had  been  carried  away  previously  to  the  retreat.  The  loss 
of  the  Americans  was  greater  in  proportion,  as  the  number  of 
their  men  engaged  were  less.  One  colonel  of  volunteers,  twenty 
regulars,  privates,  and  one  volunteer  private  were  killed ;  one 
lieutenant-colonel,  three  lieutenants,  and  one  ensign  of  the  regu- 
lars, and  seventy-nine  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates  were 
wounded;  and  twenty-six  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates 
were  missing.  Their  aggregate  loss  was  one  hundred  and  ten 
regulars,  twenty-one  volunteers,  and  twenty-five  militia ;  making 
a  total  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-six.  It  was  severe,  because  of  the 
worth,  more  than  of  the  number  of  those  who  fell.  The  injury 
in  public  stores  sustained  at  Sackett's  Harbour,  though  not  by 
any  act  of  the  invading  enemy,  was  extensive ;  but  the  gallantry 
of  several  individuals  prevented  its  being  more  so.  Lieutenant 
Chauncey  was  no  sooner  apprized  of  the  error  of  the  report  which 
had  been  brought  to  him,  than  he  made  every  exertion  to  save  as 
much  of  the  public  property  as  it  was  possible  to  rescue  from  the 
increasing  conflagration,  and  to  that  effect  he  ran  the  Fair  Ame- 
rican and  the  Pert  up  the  river.  The  new  frigate,  the  General 
Pike,  which  was  then  on  the  stocks,  was  saved ;  and  Lieutenant 
Talman,  of  the  army,  at  the  imminent  risk  of  his  life,  boarded 
the  prize  schooner  the  Duke  of  Gloucester,  which  was  then  on 
fire  with  a  considerable  quantity  of  powder  in  her  hold,  extin- 
guished the  fire  and  brought  her  from  under  the  flames  of  the 
storehouses.  ' 

N'^t withstanding  this  signal  repulse,  the  British  commanding 

H.2  24 


180 


GENERAL    PREVOST'S    REPOltT. 


ill 


oflRcers  attempted  to  play  off  the  stratagem  which  Sir  Jl,me8  Yeo 
afterwards  adopted  at  the  Forty  Mile  Creek.  They  sent  in  a  flag 
with  a  peremptory  demand  for  the  formal  surrender  >f  the  post, 
which  was  as  peremptorily  refused.  After  a  forced  march  of 
forty  miles  in  one  day,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Tuttle  hoil  arrived 
witli  his  command  of  about  six  hundred  meujnst  an  the  British 
were  retnniting  to  their  boats,  and  was  therefore  too  late  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  action.  Other  reinforcements  were  continually 
expected,  and  the  harbour  would  be  in  a  situ.'tion  to  make-  a 
more  vigorous,  though  not  perliaps,  a  more  brilliant  defense.  The 
return  of  the  enemy,  even  under  the  advantagCH  of  more  favour- 
able winds,  was,  therefore,  nut  looked  for  with  any  apprehension. 
A  second  ilag  was  received  ])y  General  Brown,  accompanied  by 
a  request  that  the  killed  and  wounded  of  the  British  might  be 
treated  with  respect.  In  answer  to  which,  the  most  satisfactory 
assurances  of  compliance  were  given. 

After  being  compelled  fo  relinquish  the  further  prosecution  of 
an  expedition,  having  for  its  primary  object  the  capture  and  de- 
struction of  a  post,  the  permanent  possession  of  which  only  could 
give  to  the  Americans  any  hope  of  a  superiority  on  Lake  Ontario ; 
after  having  su'.ceeded  in  his  enterprise  in  a  degree  which  scarcely 
ueHervjs  to  bo  termed  partial ;  and  after  being  obliged,  by  the 
prt'^lonununc»3  of  his  apprehension  over  his  bravery  and  foresight, 
to  retire  from  the  assault  and  precipitately  to  leave  his  dead  and 
wounded  to  the  mercy  of  his  enemy,  General  Sir  George  Pre- 
vost  issued  an  official  account  to  the  people  of  Canada,  and  for- 
warded despatches  to  his  government,  in  each  of  which  he  laid 
claim  to  a  brilliant  and  unparalleled  victory,  and  alleged  that  lie 
had  reluctantly  ord<^'red  his  troops  to  leave  a  beaten  enemy  whom 
he  had  driven  before  him  for  three  hours,  because  the  co-opera- 
tion of  the  fleet  and  army  could  not  be  eftected. 

General  Brown's  stratagem  had  so  far  succeeded  in  deceiving 
him,  that  he  reported  the  woods  to  have  been  filled  with  infantry 
and  field-pieces,  from  which  an  incessant,  heavy  and  destructive 
fire  had  been  kept  up,  by  a  numerous  and  almost  invisible  foe, 
more  than  quadruple  in  numbers  to  the  detachments  which  had 
been  taken  from  the  garrison  at  Kingston ;  and  that  his  loss  was, 
nevertheless,  very  far  inferior  to  that  of  his  antagonist.  Private 


I 


REFLECTIONS. 


187 


letters,  however,  which  were,  about  the  same  time,  written  from 
officers  of  these  detachments,  after  relating  that  Colonel  Gray 
and  two  other  officers  had  been  killed,  and  that  Majors  Evans, 
Drummond,  and  Moodie,  and  several  captains  and  subalterns 
had  been  wounded,  admitted  that  their  total  loss  amounted  to 
upwards  of  one  hundred  and  fifty. 

Had  the  result  of  the  expedition  against  Sackett's  Harbour 
assimilated  itself  to  that  character  of  unparalleled  brilliancy,  which 
would  have  entitled  it  to  the  enc'omiums  of  its  commander,  and 
to  the  warmest  admiration  of  the  British  nation,  its  effects  would 
have  been  long  and  deplorably  felt  by  tlie  A  i  rican  government. 
Immense  quantities  of  naval  and  military  tbs  which  had  been 
from  time  to  time  collected  at  that  depo  uames  and  tim- 

bers which  had  been  prepared  for  the  cono>,  aciion of  vessels  of 
war,  and  the  rigging  and  armaments  which  had  been  forwarded 
thither  for  their  final  equipment,  as  well  as  all  the  army  clothing, 
camp  equipage,  provisions,  ammunitions,  and  implements  of  war, 
which  had  been  previously  captured  from  the  enemy,  would 
have  again  fallen  irto  his  hands.  The  destruction  of  the  bat- 
teries, the  ship  then  on  the  stocks,  the  extensive  cantonments, 
and  the  public  arsenal,  would  have  retarded  the  building  of 
another  naval  force,  and  that  which  was  already  on  the  lake  in 
separate  detachments,  could  have  been  intercepted,  in  its  attempt 
to  return,  and  might  have  been  captured  in  detail.  The  prize 
vessel  which  was  then  lying  in  the  harbour,  and  which  had 
been  taken  by  the  Americans,  and  the  two  United  States' 
schooners,  would  have  been  certainly  recaptured,  and  the  whole 
energies  of  the  American  government,  added  to  their  most 
vigorous  and  unwearied  struggles,  might  never  again  have 
attained  any  prospect  of  an  ascendency  on  the  lake.  As  it 
proved,  however,  all  these  impending  evils  were  repelled,  and 
the  wisdom  of  the  commanding  officer,  and  the  invincible  firm- 
ness of  those  of  his  troops,  who  withstood  the  brunt  of  the  action, 
converted  that  event  into  a  splendid  victory,  which  would  other- 
have  been  an  irretrievable  disaster. 


74. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Hiotographii 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WfST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


"V- 


188 


CAPTURE    OF   THE    LADY   MURRAY. 


/   . 


CHAPTER  X. 

l^petRtiantf  on  tit  'Niagara  iFronticn 

I  HE  increasing  indisposition  of  Genera] 
Dearborn  having  rendered  him  unfit  foi 
active  duty,  he  resigned  the  command  of 
the  northern  army,  and  retired  to  his  resi- 
dence.  General  Lewis  had  repaired  to 
Sackett's  Harbour,  to  act  in  concert  -vvith 
Commodore  Chauncey,  who  had  returned 
to  that  place,  and  was  making  active  pre- 
parations to  restore  the  batteries  and 
buildings  to  their  former  condition.  The  command  of  Fort 
George  and  the  dependencies  of  that  place  and  Fort  Niagara, 
devolved  on  General  Boyd. 

On  the  14th  of  June,  Lieutenant  Chauncey  was  ordered  to 
proceed  in  the  Lady  of  the  Lake,  to  cruise  off  Presque  isle,  and 
to  intercept  the  enemy's  transport  vessels.  On  the  16th  he  fell 
in  with,  and  captured  the  British  schooner  the  Lady  Murray, 
then  bound  from  Kingston  to  York,  with  an  English  ensign, 
and  fifteen  non-commissioned  oflficers  and  privates.  She  was 
loaded  with  provisions,  powder,  shot,  and  fixed  ammunition, 
and  was  brought  into  Sackett's  Harbour  on  the  18th.  Her  crew 
consisted  of  six  men. 

On  the  same  day  the  British  fleet  appeared  before  the  town 
of  Sodus,  on  the  bay  of  that  name,  which  is  formed  on  the 
American  side  of  Lake  Ontario,  between  Gennessee  and  Oswesjo 


THE   BURNING   OF   SODUS. 


189 


rivers.  General  Burnet,  of  the  New  York  militia,  suspecting 
that  they  intended  to  land  their  troops,  and  cjapture  a  quantity 
of  provisions,  ordered  out  a  regiment  from  the  county  of  Ontario 
The  militia  collected  in  great  haste,  and  arrived  at  Sodus  on  the 
following  morning.  But  the  enemy,  well  knowing  that  his  ap- 
pearance would  excite  the  alarm  of  the  inhabitants,  drew  off  his 
forces  until  their  apprehensions  should  be  subsided,  and  reap- 
peared in  the  evening  of  the  19th,  a  few  hours  after  the  militia 
had  been  discharged.  . 

In  contemplation  of  his  return,  the  inhabitants  had  removed 
all  the  public  stores  from  the  buildings  on  the  water's  edge,  to 
a  small  distance  in  the  woods,  and  on  the  reappearance  of  the 
hostile  squadron,  a  second  alarm  was  immediately  given,  and 
expresses  sent  after  the  discharged  militia,  which  overtook  and 
brought  them  back,  with  a  large  reinforcement.  Before  their 
return,  the  enemy  had  landed,  and  finding  that  the  provisions 
had  been  removed,  they  set  fire  to  all  the  valuable  buildings  in 
the  town,  and  destroyed  most  of  the  private  property  of  every 
description.  They  then  agreed  to  stipulate  with  the  inhabitants, 
to  desist  from  destroying  the  remaining  houses,  on  condition  of 
their  surrendering  the  flour  and  provisions,  which  they  knew  had 
been  deposited  at  that  place.  These  articles  were  then  not  more 
than  two  hundred  yards  from  the  village,  yet  the  enemy  did  not 
choose  to  attempt  their  capture,  lest  he  might  be  drawn  into  an 
ambuscade ;  but  he  threatened  the  entire  destruction  of  every 
house  in  the  town,  if  they  were  not  immediately  delivered  over 
to  him.  The  appearance  of  the  militia  prevented  the  execution 
of  this  threat,  and  the  enemy  immediately  returned  to  his  ship- 
ping, and  moved  up  the  lake  on  the  following  morning. 

On  the  20th  of  June  the  whole  fleet  approached  Oswego,  and 
made  several  attempts  to  land  their  troops,  but  they  returned 
each  time  to  their  shipping,  upon  seeing  that  the  troops  at  that 
place  were  prepared  to  meet  them.  The  American  force  at  that 
time  consisted  of  eight  hundred  militia  and  a  small  party  of 
regulars,  under  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Carr,  by  whose 
skilful  management  the  enemy  were  persuaded  that  the  port 
was  garrisoned  by  a  numerous  body  of  troops,  and  they  became 
extremely  cautious  in  their  operations.     Fearful  of  being  over 


i 


i  I 


190 


COLONEL   BOERSTLER's  EXPEDITION. 


powered,  they  relinquished  their  intention  of  landing,  and  with 
drew  from  before  the  place.  Lieutenant  Wolsey,  of  the  Oneida 
and  other  naval  officers  and  seamen,  were  at  Oswego,  and  haa 
previously  removed  the  stores  from  that  place  to  Sackett's  Har- 
hour.  The  fleet  then  proceeded  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Fort 
George,  were  it  lay  for  several  days. 

/  t'9^!A^f\-Jtf'm>^  FEW  days  previous  to  the  departure  ot 

General  Dearborn  from  that  posi,  a  body 
of  the  enemy  had  collected  on  a  high 
ground  about  eight  miles  from  Queenstown, 
for  the  purpose  of  procuring  supplies  and 
of  harassing  those  inhabitants  who  were 
considered  to  be  friendly  to  the  United 
States.  On  the  28th,  a  party  of  troops,  consisting  of  five  hun- 
dred infantry,  a  squadron  of  dragoons,  a  company  of  New  York 
mounted  volunteers,  and  Captain  M'DowcU's  corps  of  light  artil- 
lery, being  in  all  about  six  hundred  men,  under  command  of 
Colonel  Boerstler,  were  detached  from  the  American  encampment 
at  Fort  George  for  the  purpose  of  cutting  off  the  supplies  of  the 
enemy,  and  of  breaking  up  their  encampment  at  the  Beaver 
Dams.  The  British  force  which  was  stationed  there  was  com- 
posed of  one  company  of  the  104th  regiment,  about  two  hundred 
militia,  and  sixty  Indians,  amounting  to  three  hundred  and  forty 
men. 

At  about  eight  o'clock  on  the  mommg  of  the  24th,  nine  miles 
west  of  Queenstown,  the  American  detachment  was  attacked  from 
an  ambuscade.  The  action  commenced  with  the  dragoons,  who 
were  placed  in  the  rear.  The  infantry  was  instantly  brought  into 
a  position  to  return  the  enemy's  fire  to  advantage,  and  very  soon 
after  drove  them  a  considerable  distan'^  into  the  woods.  The 
Indians  then  made  a  circuitous  route  speared  in  front,  ana 
opened  a  fire  upon  the  mounted  riflemen  who  were  stationed 
there.  They  were  immediately  repulsed  and  again  retired  to  the 
woods.  Every  attempt  was  then  made  to  draw  them  into  the 
open  ground,  but  without  effect.  A  few  of  the  boldest  of  them 
ventured  from  their  lurking-places,  but  were  immediately  com- 
pelled to  fly  to  them  again  for  shelter.    The  enemy's  force  was 


SURRENDER    OF    BOERSTLER. 


191 


now  continually  augmenting,  and  he  was  every  instant  gaining 
a  superiority.  A  retreat  was  then  ordered  for  a  short  distance, 
which  was  effected  with  trifling  loss.  Colonel  Bcerstler,  suspect 
ing  that  he  was  surrounded  by  a  very  superior  and  numerous 
force,  despatched  an  express  to  General  Dearborn  for  reinforce- 
ments, and  informed  him  of  his  intention  to  maintain  his  position 
until  they  should  arrive.  Colonel  Christie  was  ordered  to  proceed 
immediately  with  the  15th  regiment  and  a  company  of  artillery 
to  the  support  of  Colonel  Bcerstler,  but  he  had  not  proceeded 
farther  than  Queenstown  when  he  was  informed  that  the  latter 
had  surrendered  his  detachment. 

The  express  had  scarcely  been  forwarded  when  Lieutenant 
Fitzgibbon,  who  commanded  the  British  militia  and  Indians,  rode 
up  to  Colonel  Bcerstler  with  a  flag,  and  informed  him  on  the 
honour  of  a  British  soldier,  that  the  regular  force  commanded  by 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Bishop  was  double  that  of  the  American,  and 
vhat  the  Indians  were  at  least  seven  hundred  in  number.  Colonel 
Bcerstler,  trusting  to  the  veracity  of  the  officer,  fearing  the  im- 
practicability of  escaping,  and  being  unwilling  to  abandon  his 
wounded,  agreed  to  terms  of  capitulation,  by  vs^hich  the  wounded 
were  to  be  treated  with  the  utmost  tenderness,  the  officers  to  be 
permitted  to  wear  their  side-arms,  private  property  to  be  respected, 
and  the  volunteers  to  be  paroled  and  permitted  to  return  to  their 
homes.    ' ' 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Bishop  was  not  on  the  ground  at  the  time 
when  this  capitulation  was  effected,  as  the  British  lieutenant  had 
asserted  on  his  honour,  but  arrived  there  in  time  to  confirm  the 
articles  of  surrender.  These  were  no  sooner  agreed  upon  than 
they  were  violated.  The  officers  being  deprived  of  their  side- 
arms  for  the  gratification  of  the  Indians,  who  robbed  them  also 
of  their  coats,  and  whatever  ornaments  of  dress  they  coveted.  No 
possible  account  of  the  number  of  killed  or  wounded,  on  either 
side,  could  be  obtained.  Colonel  Bcerstler  was  slightly  wounded, 
and  Captain  Machesney  of  the  6th,  severely,  in  repelling  the 
attack  of  the  Indians. 

Colonel  Christie  returned  to  Fort  George  with  information  of 
this  disaster,  and  the  British  forces  moved  down  upon  Queens- 
town,  occupied  that  place  and  its  neighbourhood,  and  in  a  few 


.A 


192 


ATTACK    UPON    OUTPOSTS. 


r^^^kSip 


li'ii 


II  ^iii 


.  n\       :  ,,  ■  ■  ■ 


days  afterwards  invested  the  American  camp,  having  been  pre. 
viously  joined  by  all  the  British  forces  from  the  head  of  the  lake 
General  Vincent  was  stationed  at  Burlington  Heights  with  a 
small  force,  and  General  De  Rottenburg  lay  encamped  at  the  Ten 
Mile  creek. 

The  New  York  mounted  volunteers 
were  detained  at  the  head  of  the  lake, 
in  violation  of  the  article  which  pro- 
vided for  their  parole.  On  the  12th 
they  were  ordered  to  Kingston,  to  be 
kept  there  as  prisoners  of  war.  They 
were  for  this  purpose  embarked  in 
two  boats,  under  a  guard  of  men,  and 
a  lieutenant.  When  within  twelve 
miles  of  York,  they  rose  upon  the 
guard,  and  after  a  struggle  of  a  few 
minutes,  carried  both  boats,  and  shaped  their  course  for  Fort 
Niagara.  After  rowing  nearly  all  night,  and  escaping  from  an 
enemy's  schooner,  with  great  difficulty,  they  arrived  safely  with 
their  prisoners.  In  effecting  this  daring  escape,  Major  Chapin, 
who  commanded  the  volunteers,  gave  the  signal  to  his  men,  by 
knocking  down  the  British  lieutenant,  and  personally  encoun- 
tering two  of  his  soldiers,  whom  he  fortunately  subdued,  and 
kept  in  restraint  until  the  second  boat  lay  along  side  of  him. 

Succeeding  this  event,  several  affairs  of  outposts  took  place, 
which,  though  not  quite  so  important  in  their  consequences, 
were  equally  as  brilliant  as  any  of  the  occurrences  which  had 
previously  transpired  on  the  Niagara  frontier.  Among  them 
was  a  severe  skirmish,  brought  on  by  an  attack  which  had  been 
made  upon  two  of  the  outposts,  of  the  American  encampment 
at  Fort  George,  on  the  8th  of  July,  by  the  combined  force  of  the 
British  and  Indians.  It  had  no  sooner  commenced,  than  adjutant 
Lieutenant  Eldridge,  of  the  13th,  was  ordered  to  the  support  of 
the  outposts,  with  a  small  detachment  of  thirty-nine  men ;  whilst 
a  larger  body  was  preparing  to  follow  him,  under  the  command 
of  Major  Malcom. 

The  impetuosity  of  Lieutenant  Eldridge  led  him  into  a  thick 
wood,  where  a  superior  force  of  the  British  and  Indians  lay  in 


.?^i 


m  -A 


MASSACRE    OF    ELDRIDGES    PARTY. 


193 


ambush,  and  after  an  obstinate,  but  fruitless  struggle,  his  part}i 
were  entirely  defeated,  five  only  out  of  the  whole  number  es- 
caping. Thirteen  were  killed  or  wounded,  and  the  remainder 
taken  prisoners.  At  the  first  onset,  the  enemy  was  repulsed ;  but 
at  the  second,  he  pressed  upon,  and  surrounded  the  little  party, 
with  the  whole  of  his  numerous  force.  All  the  prisoners,  includ- 
ing the  wounded,  were  then  inhumanly  murdered,  and  their 
persons  treated  m  so  barbarous  a  manner,  that  the  most  temperate 
recital  of  the  enemy's  conduct  may,  perhaps,  scarcely  obtain 
belief.  The  feelings  of  the  most  obdurate  reader,  of  a  much 
more  distant  period,  cannot  but  be  excited  to  the  highest  degree 
of  indignation,  and  those  of  the  writer  are  not  at  all  to  be  envied, 
when  necessity  obliges  him  to  describe  the  sufferings  of  his 
countrymen,  by  the  relation  of  facts  which  stand  too  well 
authenticated  before  him.  The  same  enemv  who  had  not  long 
ago  implored  the  mercy  of  the  American  officer,  to  be  extended 
to  his  British  prisoners,  now  fell  upon  the  defenseless  captives 
of  this  party,  and  scalped  their  heads  whilst  they  were  yet  alive, 
spht  open  their  skulls  with  their  tomahawks,  tore  the  hearts  out 
of  their  bodies,  and  stabbed,  and  otherwise  mutilated  them. 
Lieutenant  Eldridge  was  supposed  to  have  experienced  the 
same  treatment.  The  inhabitants  of  the  neighbourhood  having 
informed  the  garrison  that  he  had  been  led,  wounded,  into  the 
woods,  between  two  Indians,  a  flag  was  sent  out  on  the  next 
day  to  ascertain  his  fate,  which  soon  after  returned  with  an 
answer,  that  Lieutenant  Eldridge  having  killed  one  of  the  Indian 
chieftains,  the  warriors  of  his  tribe  had  retaliated  this  supposed 
act  of  treachery,  by  putting  him  to  instant  death.  But  this 
reply  was  ascertained  to  have  been  a  subterfuge  of  the  enemy, 
to  evade  the  necessity  of  accounting  for  a  prisoner  who  was 
known  to  have  been  taken  alive. 

The  commission  of  this,  and  other  outrages  of  the  same  nature 
by  the  enemy,  at  length  induced  the  American  commander. 
General  Boyd,  to  receive  a  party  of  the  Seneca  and  Tuscorora 
tribes  into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  by  way  of  intimi- 
dating the  British  and  Indians,  and  of  preventing  a  recurrence 
of  their  barbarities.  Shortly  after  they  had  rendezvoused  at 
Fort  George,  and  had  covenanted  not  to  scalp  or  murder  anv  of 

R  26 


f'  hi 


BabWai 


J  94 


INDIAN    ALLIANCE. 


I 


111 


If 


1     £     •  I 

'1,        ''      :  , 

It 

'     I  i 


(  ^ 


••M. 


Young  Cornplantar. 


the  enemy's  prisoners,  who  might  fall  into  their  hands,  they 
were  joined  to  a  party  of  volunteers,  and  sent  to  cut  off  one  of 
the  outposts  of  the  enemy,  whose  principal  encampment  was 
upwards  of  two  miles  from  the  fort.  The  American  Indians 
were  commanded  by  Major  Henry  O'Ball,  or  Young  Corn- 
planter,  who  succeeded  in  capturing  and  bringing  in  twelve  of 
the  British  Indians,  and  four  of  their  white  troops,  with  a  loss 
of  only  two  Indians  killed. 

The  army  at  Fort  George  was  at  this  time  in  a  state  of  inac- 
tivity— a  war  of  outposts  only  being  carried  on,  which,  though 
resulting  in  various  success,  was  of  use  to  the  undisciplined 
divisions  of  the  encampment. 

On  the  morning  of  the  11th  of  July,  a  British  regular  force 
crossed  the  Niagara,  below  Black  Rock,  and  moved  up,  with 
great  rapidity,  to  the  attack  of  that  post.  The  militia  who  were 
stationed  there  immediately  fled  in  considerable  numbers,  a  few 
of  them,  however,  stood  their  ground,  and  emerging  from  a 
wood,  at  seventy  yards  distance  from  the  enemy,  annoyed  him 
very  severely.  But  this  annoyance  was  not  regarded  by  the 
British,  who  entered  the  place,  set  fire  to  the  barracks,  the  block 
hruse,  and  other  buildings,  spiked  several  pieces  of  cannon,  and 


1 


took  off  a 
to  their  b< 
and  a  few 
fire.  The 
.^nine  of 
upon  the 
was  precii 
boats,  and 
killed  and 
Bishop,  n 

On  the 
soldiers,  1 
the  head  < 
one  twent 
and  four  c 

On  the 
attacked  1 
Scott  was 
an  open  fi 
of  one  ho  I 
strong,  Ci 
Birdsall, 
tively  eng 
as  many  "^ 

Besidef 
tured  at 
soners  at 
of  the  re 
boat  anis 
nadian  m 
lars  and  f 
them  to 
of  Colon( 
New  Yoi 
ment  whi 
ral  Boyd 
to  that  pi 

On  the 


SXPEUITION    TO    THE    ST.   LAWRENCE. 


197 


took  off  a  quantity  of  provisions.  Whilst  carrying  the  property 
to  their  boats,  they  were  attacked  by  a  force  of  regulars,  militia 
and  a  few  Indians  who  poured  upon  them  a  very  destructive 
fire.  The  enemy's  force  amounted  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  men 
^nine  of  whom,  and  a  captain  (Sanders)  of  the  41st,  were  left 
upon  the  shore.  The  force  which  was  brought  against  them 
was  precisely  equal  to  their  own.  They  retired  partially  to  their 
boats,  and  in  putting  off  from  the  shore,  lost  upwards  of  fifty,  in 
killed  and  wounded.  Among  the  latter  was  Lieutenant^Colonel 
Bishop,  mortally. 

On  the  17th,  a  small  expedition  of  volunteers,  and  about  forty 
soldiers,  left  Fort  George  in  two  small  row-boats,  proceeded  to 
tho  head  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  captured  a  gun-boat  mounting 
one  twenty-four-pounder,  fourteen  batteaux  loaded  with  property, 
and  four  officers  and  sixty-one  men. 

On  the  same  day  an  outwork  of  the  American  garrison,  was 
attacked  by  two  hundred  British  and  some  Indians.  Colonel 
Scott  was  sent  out  to  oppose  them.  He  took  one  field-piece  into 
an  open  field,  and  assisted  by  Lieutenant  Smith,  after  a  contest 
of  one  hoar,  succeeded  in  driving  off  the  enemy.  Majors  Arm- 
strong, Cummings,  Captains  Towson,  Madison,  Vandalsem,  and 
Birdsall,  the  former  of  whom  was  wounded,  were  also  ac- 
tively engaged.  The  American  loss  amounted  to  four  killed,  and 
as  many  wounded. 

Besides  the  militia,  under  Major  Chapin,  who  had  been  cap- 
tured at  the  Beaver  Dams,  several  parties  of  regulars  made  pri- 
soners at  the  same  place,  also  effected  their  escape,  in  consequence 
of  the  refusal  of  the  enemy  to  parole  them.  On  the  27th,  a  large 
boat  arrived  at  Fort  George,  with  one  lieutenant  and  eight  Ca- 
nadian militia,  who  had  been  taken  by  three  United  States  regu- 
lars and  five  New  York  militiamen,  as  the  former  were  conducting 
them  to  Kingston.  About  the  same  time,  a  boat  with  fourteen 
of  Colonel  Bcerstler's  men  and  two  of  the  enemy,  arrived  from 
New  York.  They  communicated  intelligence  of  the  severe  treat- 
ment which  the  American  prisoners  experienced  there,  and  Gene- 
ral Boyd  and  Commodore  Chauncey  determined  on  an  expedition 
to  that  place. 

On  the  23th,  Commodore  Chauncey  sailed  with  Colonel  Scott 

b3 


198 


CAPr*TRE    OF    THE    GROWLER    AND    EAGLE. 


1' 


and  about  three  hundred  men.  They  landed  at  York,  capturet 
or  destroyed  the  public  property  and  stores  of  the  enemy,  and 
after  burning  the  barracks,  which  had  been  spared  at  the  capture 
of  that  place  in  April,  under  an  impression  that  their  liberality 
would  be  appreciated  by  the  enemy,  they  re-embarked,  and  re- 
turned unmolested  to  Fort  George,  bringing  with  them  all  tlie 
sick  and  wounded  of  Colonel  Boerstler's  men,  whom  they  could 
find. 

A  few  weeks  preceding  this  affair,  the  United  States  armed 
vessels,  the  Growler  and  Eagle,  were  captured  after  a  desperate 
engagement  of  three  hours  and  a  half,  with  a  number  of  British 
gun-boats,  and  detachments  from  the  garrison  at  Isle  aux  Noix. 
The  action  took  place  near  Ash  Island,  on  the  river  Sorelle,  or 
Richelieu,  or  that  part  of  Lake  Champlain  which  empties  into 
the  St  Lawrence.  The  schooners  were  commanded  by  Lieutenant 
Sidney  Smith,  and  were  the  only  armed  vessels,  excepting  a  few 
gun-boats,  and  small  barges,  which  constituted  the  American 
naval  force  on  Lake  Champlain.  Their  capture,  therefore,  gave 
the  enemy  the  entire  ascendency  on  that  lake.  The  British 
stated  their  loss  at  three  men  wounded.  The  loss  on  board  the 
schooners  was  one  killed  and  eight  wounded. 

Availing  themselves  of  the  advantages  thus  gained,  the  British 
equipped  and  refitted  the  captured  vessels,  and  cruised  along  the 
shores  of  Lake  Champlain,  committing  every  species  of  depre- 
dation upon  the  property  of  the  inhabitants.  On  the  30tli  of 
July,  they  crossed  the  line  at  Champlain  with  two  sloops  of  war, 
three  gun-boats,  and  forty  batteaux,  having  on  board  a  force  of 
fourteen  hundred  men.  On  the  31st,  they  arrived,  and  landed 
at  Plattsburg.  The  militia  were  immediately  called  out,  but  not 
more  than  three  hundred  collected,  and  there  is  no  account  of 
their  having  shown  any  kind  of  resistance  to  the  invaders.  The 
British  troops,  who  were  commanded  by  Colonel  Murray,  assured 
the  inhabitants  of  Plattsburg  that  their  private  property  should 
be  respected.  But  after  destroying  the  block-house,  the  arsenal, 
the  armory,  the  public  hospital,  and  the  military  cantonment, 
they  wantonly  burned  several  private  storehouses,  and  carried 
oif  immense  quantities  of  the  stock  of  individuals.  On  the  1st 
r>f  August  they  embarked,  and  stood  out  of  the  bay.    Thence 


MANOEUVERINO  OF  THE  FLEETS. 


199 


they  proceeded  to  the  town  of  Swanton,  in  Vermont,  landed  a 
part  of  their  force,  and  committed  several  outrages  of  the  same 
character. 

The  American  and  British  fleets, 
now  well  appointed  and  equipped, 
were  both  on  Lake  Ontario.  Commo- 
dore Chauncey  being  within  sight  of 
Fort  George,  and  Sir  James  Yeo  sail- 
ing in  that  direction,  on  the  7th  of 
August  they  came  within  sight  of  each 
other.  The  British  fleet  consisted  of  six  sail,  the  American  of 
twelve,  the  majority  of  them  being  very  small.  Commodore 
Chauncey  immediately  weighed  anchor,  and  manoeuvered  to  gain 
the  wind.  Having  passed  the  leeward  of  the  enemy's  line,  and 
being  abreast  of  his  van  ship,  the  Wolfe,  he  fired  a  few  guns  to 
ascertain  whether  he  could  reach  the  hostile  fleet.  The  shot  fall- 
ing short,  the  commodore  wore,  and  hauled  upon  a  wind  on  tho 
starboard  tack ;  the  rear  of  his  schooners  being  then  about  six 
miles  astern.  The  British  commodore  wore  also,  and  hauled 
upon  a  wind,  on  the  same  tack,  but  observing  that  the  American 
fleet  would  be  able  to  weather  him  on  the  next,  he  tacked  again 
and  made  all  sail  to  the  northward.  Commodore  Chauncey  pur- 
sued him. 

The  chase  continued  until  night ;  the  schooners  could  not  get 
up,  and  a  signal  was  given  to  give  up  the  pursuit  and  to  form  in 
close  order.  At  midnight  two  of  the  schooners  were  missing, 
which  were  afterwards  found  to  be  the  Hamilton  and  the 
Scourge,  both  of  which  had  overset  and  sunk  in  a  heavy  squall. 
Sixteen  men  only  escaped  drowning.  The  fleet  lost  by  this  un- 
fortunate accident  two  excellent  officers,  Lieutenant  Winter  and 
Sailingmaster  Osgood,  a  number  of  fine  seamen,  and  nineteen 
guns.  Tho  enemy  then  gained  a  great  superiority.  On  the 
morning  of  the  8th  he  was  discovered  bearing  up  with  an  inten- 
tion of  bringing  the  Americans  to  action.  Commodore  Chauncey 
then  directed  the  schooners  to  sweep  up  and  engage  him.  When 
the  van  of  the  schooners  was  within  one  mile  and  a  half  of  the 
enemy,  he  bore  up  for  the  schooners  in  order  to  cut  them  off",  but  in 
.his  he  did  not  succeed.     He  then  hauled  his  wind  and  hove  too 


8^)0 


ACriON    ON    LAKE    ONTARIO. 


t 


! 


f\r"i.' 


A  squall  coming  on,  and  Commodore  Chauncey  being  appix) 
hensive  of  separating  from  the  heavy  sailing  schooners  he  ran 
the  squadron  in  towards  Niagara,  and  anchored  outside  the  bar. 
Here  he  received  on  board  from  Fort  George,  one  hundred  and 
Uily  soldiers,  and  distributed  them  through  the  fleet  to  act  as 
marines.  Before  twelve  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  9th,  dis- 
covered the  enemy's  fleet,  and  stood  for  him,  and  after  manoeuver« 
ing  until  eleven  o'clock,  at  times  pursuing  him,  and  being  pursued 
by  him,  the  rear  of  the  line  opened  its  fire  on  him.  In  fifteen 
minutes  the  fire  became  general  on  both  sides. 

At  half-past  eleven  the  weather  line  bore  up  and  passed  to  the 
leeward,  except  the  Growler  and  Julia,  which  soon  after  tacked 
to  the  southward,  and  brought  the  British  between  them  and  the 
remainder  of  the  American  fleet,  which  then  edged  away  to 
engage  the  enemy  to  more  advantage,  and  to  lead  hmi  from  the 
Growler  and  Julia.  Sir  James  Yeo  having  separated  the  two 
vessels  from  the  squadron,  exchanged  a  few  shot,  in  passing,  with 
the  General  Pike," (Commodore  Chauncey 's  ship,)  without  injur- 
ing her,  and  pursued  the  schooners.  A  firing  commenced  be- 
tween them,  and  was  continuea  until  one  o'clock  on  the  morning 
of  the  10th,  when  the  schooners  surrendered,  and  the  fleets  lose 
sight  of  each  other.  Soon  after  daylight  they  again  became  visi- 
ble ;  but  no  disposition  being  shown  by  the  enemy  to  come  down 
on  Commodore  Chauncey,  he  shortly  after  ran  towards  Sackett's 
Harbour  to  provision  the  squadron,  and  arrived  there  on  the  13th. 

About  this  time  Sir  George  Prevost  joined  the  army,  which 
was  then  inventing  Fort  George,  and  meditated  an  attack  upon 
the  American  forces.  Captain  Fitzgerald  of  the  49th,  assailed  an 
outpost  on  the  Niagara,  and  after  gaining  the  rear  of  the  guard, 
was  fired  on  and  charged  by  Captain  Davenport,  of  the  16th 
United  States  infantry,  who  cut  his  way  through  Fitzgerald's 
party,  rallied  his  own  and  made  prisoners  of  ten  men. 

At  this  moment  Captain  Delano,  of  the  23d,  came  up  and  cap- 
tured Fitzgerald,  who  was  then  wounded.  The  whole  line  of 
outposts  was  at  this  instant  attacked  and  driven  in.  Captain 
Vandalsem,  of  the  15th,  who  commanded  the  outposts  upon  But- 
ler's road,  was  cut  oflf  by  the  enemy ;  but  hastily  forming  his 
small  party,  he  desperately  forced  his  way  through  a  superior 


1/  .!  ^ 


AFFAIRS    OF    OUTPOSTS. 


201 


body,  and  brought  his  guard  safely  into  the  garrison.    The 
British  forces  gained  possession  of  the  town  of  Newark,  and 
skirted  the  woods  opposite  Fort  George,  within  gun-shot  of  the 
American  camp.     Brigadier-General  Williams,  who  had  a  few 
days  before  arrived  at  that  post,  advanced  from  the  works  with 
his  brigade,  but  after  a  trifling  skirmish,  he  was  ordered  back  by 
General  Boyd,  and  the  troops  were  directed  to  act  only  on  the 
defensive.   The  British  soon  after  retired  to  their  intrenchments, 
which  were  then  about  two  miles  distant.    The  loss  of  the  gar- 
rison, on  this  occasion,  amounted  to  thirty,  in  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing.     The  capture  of  Captain  Fitzgerald  and  his  men, 
was  ths  only  loss  which  the  enemy  is  known  to  have  sustained. 
Affairs  of  outposts,  in  which  the  character  of  the  American 
arms  was  not  in  the  least  diminished,  were  now  occurring  daily. 
Colonel  Brearly,  and  other  officers  of  the  different  regiments, 
distinguished  themselves;  and  a  spirit  of  emulation  pervaded 
4ie  whole  American  line.     Orders  had  been  issued  to  the  senti- 
nels, to  permit  n^o  one  to  pass  within  their  chain,  without  the 
knowledge  of  the  commanding  officer.     But  a  British  officer,  in 
passing  from  the  left  to  the  right  of  his  encampment,  having  by 
mistake  approached  the  American  line,  induced  a  sentinel  to 
violate  these  orders.    Thomas  Gray,  a  private  of  the  15th,  w^ho 
at  this  time  happened  to  be  on  guard,  seeing  the  error  into  which 
the  enemy's  officer  was  likely  to  fall,  permitted  him  to  enter  the 
line  of  sentinels  before  he  challenged  him.     When  the  officer 
immediately  surrendered,  proved  to  be  Captain  Gordon,  of  the 
Royal  Scots,  and  was  conducted  to  General  Boyd,  who  after- 
wards presented  the  sentinel  with  a  silver  cup,  engraved  with 
inscriptions  commemorative  of  the  event  by  which  he  had  won 
it.    The  American  army  sustained  about  this  time,  a  serious 
loss  in  the  death  of  Colonel  Christie,  at  Fort  George,  and  of 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Tuttle,  at  Sackett's  Harbour — both  of  whom 
died  of  severe  illness. 


Hi, 


1 '  *'. 


1    >!i 


(|.| 


S6 


S02 


TECUMSEH. 


Teenmieb, 

CHAPTER   XI 

(fi^mtlPtti*  of  ti>e  Wortife-fcfjstfTO  Slrmj.  5©8ttll?  of  Jlak  lEri*.  Heatlle  of  t|}f  tuamrj. 

HE  combination  of  the  British  forces 
on  the  Niagara,  the  augmentation  which 
they  were  daily  receiving  by  rein- 
forcements from  the  interior  of  Upper 
Canada,  and  the  rumours  which  wens 
thence  sent  forth  of  an  intended  coali 
tion  between  these  and  the  army  of 
General  Proctor,  from  Detroit,  all  con- 
tributed to  persuade  the  American  com- 
manders that  the  enemy  had  become 
regardless  of  the  defenses  of  the  garrisons  of  Detroit  and  Maiden; 
and  that  their  leading  object,  for  the  accomplishment  of  which 
thoy  had  determined  to  draw  together  every  species  of  troops 
within  the  province,  was  the  expulsion  of  the  American  forces 
from  the  Canadian  territory.  But  the  vigilance  of  the  com 
mander-in-chief  of  the  north-western  army,  enabled  him  not  only 
JO  discover  the  enemy's  real  design,  but  that  their  regulars,  and 


\  M 


TECUMSEH. 


203 


a  great  body  of  the  Indians,  were  at  that  time  concealed  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Fort  Meigs  and  Stephenson,  and  feeling  con- 
fident of  their  expectations  that  the  regulars  of  his  army  would 
be  ordered  forward  to  the  aid  and  co-operation  of  the  army  of 
the  north ;  or,  that  the  militia  would  be  called  from  a  tour  of 
duty ;  which  would  thence  be  deemed  unnecessary  to  perform ; 
General  Harrison  extended  his  defensive  arrangements,  and 
enlarged  his  forces  by  new  requisitions  upon  the  governors  of 
the  contiguous  state  and  territory.  He  was  still  engaged  at  his 
head-quarters,  at  Seneca,  in  fixing  the  destination  of  the  new 
troops,  as  they  arrived,  and  in  distributing  them  among  the 
different  posts.  t' 

Fort  Meigs  was  placed  in  an  excellent  state  for  vigorous  de- 
fense, and  active  exertions  were  making  to  fortify  Fort  Stephen- 
son. To  the  entire  equipment  of  the  latter,  many  difficulties 
presented  themselves,  and  its  situation  was  considered  to  be  so 
defenseless,  that  General  Harrison  directed  the  commandant  to 
destroy  the  public  property,  and  immediately  to  abandon  the 
fort,  if  the  enemy  should  at  any  time  appear  before  it. 

During  the  m^nth  of  July,  the  assembled  tribes  of  Indian 
warriors,  under  Tecumseh,  (who  was  reported  to  have  then  re- 
ceived the  commission  and  emoluments  of  a  brigadier-general,) 
and  a  considerable  force  of  regulars,  under  General  Proctor,  had 
been  well  trained  for  an  expedition,  the  object  of  which  was  to 
reduce  Fort  Stephenson,  and  thence  to  proceed  to  a  second 
investment  of  Fort  Meigs.  Tecumseh  was  despatched  with  two 
thousand  warriors  and  a  few  regulars,  to  make  a  diversion  favour- 
able to  the  attack  of  Proctor  and  Dixon,  upon  Fort  Stephenson. 
He  approached  Fort  Meigs,  and  kept  up  a  heavy  firing  at  a  dis- 
tance, in  order  to  persuade  the  garrison  that  an  engagement  had 
taken  place  between  the  Indian  forces  and  a  part  of  General 
Harrison's  division.  By  the  arrival  at  Fort  Meigs,  of  an  officer 
from  the  head-quarters,  this  scheme  was  fortunately  frustrated ; 
and  Tecumseh  then  approached  the  garrison,  and  surrounded  it 
with  his  whole  force. 

From  Seneca  Town  scouting  parties  had  been  sent  out  in 
every  direction  along  the  shores  of  Sandusky  bay,  with  instruc- 
tions to  keep  up  a  continual  communication  with  the  commander 
76 


204 


ATTACK  ON  FORT  STEPHENSON. 


BM   1-1* 


m   • 

5  Si    k 


It'-  .■■''■ 


I ;  «  : 

I;?;*  3 


in-chief.  On  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  August,  he  was  informed 
of  the  approach  of  the  enemy  to  the  mouth  of  the  bay ;  Fort 
Stephenson,  which  was  situated  twenty  miles  above,  evidently 
being  their  object.  Early  in  the  evening,  the  combined  forces 
consisting  of  S3ven  hundred  Indians,  under  Dixon,  and  five 
hundred  regulars,  under  General  Proctor,  who  commanded  in 
chief,  app  ared  before  the  fort.  The  gun-boats,  from  which 
they  had  landed,  were  at  the  same  time  drawn  up,  to  bear  upon 
one  of  its  angles. 

General  Proctor  immediately  disposed  his  troops  so  as  to  sur- 
round the  garrison,  and  entirely  cut  off  its  retreat.  His  immense 
superiority  of  numbers,  enabled  him  to  invest  it  so  perfectly,  that 
the  American  troops,  whose  whole  effective  force  did  not  amount 
to  one  hundred  and  sixty  men,  had  no  probable  prospect  of  cut- 
ting their  way  through,  and  Major  Croghan,  who  had  been  pro- 
moted to  the  command  of  this  post,  for  his  gallant  conduct  at  the 
siege  of  Fort  Meigs,  having  already  disobeyed  the  orders  of  the 
commander-in-chief,  by  not  destroying  and  abandoning  the  fort, 
had  made  arrangements  to  repel  an  assault,  by  cutting  a  deep 
ditch,  and  hastily  constructing  a  stockade  work  around  it ;  and, 
being  ably  supported  by  his  officers  and  men,  he  determined  on 
defending  the  garrison,  though  he  should  sell  the  life  of  every 
soldier. 

The  British  general,  having  completed  the  disposition  of  his 
army,  attempted  to  obtain  possession  of  Fort  Stephenson  by  ar- 
tifice. He  sent  forward  a  flag  by  Colonel  Elliot,  whose  character 
is  yet  in  the  memory  of  every  reader,  accompanied  by  the  same 
Major  Chambers  who  had  before  demanded  the  surrender  of 
Fort  Meigs,  and  an  Indian  chief,  whose  enmity  to  the  Americans 
was  violent.  This  flag  was  met  at  a  few  paces  from  the  garri- 
son, by  Ensign  Shipp,  of  the  17th,  to  whom  General  Proctor's 
demand  of  an  immediate  and  unconditional  surrender  was  de- 
livered, and  from  whom  the  enemy  received  Major  Croghan's 
answer,  of  a  determination  not  to  yield,  but  with  the  loss  of  all 
his  men.  Colonel  Elliot  then  attempted  to  seduce  the  ensign 
from  his  duty.,  by  various  artifices,  which  were  followed  by  a 
threatened  slaughter  of  the  garrison,  on  further  refusal  to  sur- 
render.   The  young  American  turned  from  his  apostate  country- 


r't 


DEFENSE   OF   FORT   STEPHENSON. 


20£ 


man,  Elliot,  with  disgust,  and  was  immediately  seized  upon  by 
the  Indian  chief,  who  attempted  to  disarm  him.  The  resistance 
of  the  ensign,  and  the  interference  of  Elliot  and  Chambers,  pre- 
.ented  this  outrage,  and  Major  Croghan  being  apprehensive 
fibout  the  safety  of  his  officer,  instantly  ordered  him  to  be  called 
,oto  the  garrison.  The  enemy  then  opened  his  fire  from  tht 
gun-boats  and  a  five  and  a  half  inch  howitzer,  and  continued 
the  cannonade  throughout  the  night. 

On  the  moaning  of  the  2d,  three  six-pounders  were  discovered 
to  have  been  planted  at  a  distance  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  yard? 
from  the  stockade,  and  in  a  few  minutes  after,  an  unsuccessful 
fire  was  opened  upon  the  fort.  The  British  general  feeling  his 
inability  to  annoy  the  garrison,  from  the  situation  in  which  his 
artillery  was  then  placed,  and  being  convinced  that  he  could 
neither  make  an  impression  upon  the  works,  nor  ever  hope  to 
carry  them  by  storm,  unless  a  breach  could  be  made  in  the 
north-west  angle  of  the  fort,  ordered  all  his  guns  to  be  directed 
at  that  point.  A  rapid  fire  was  kept  up  against  it  for  several 
hours ;  but  Major  Croghan  being  aware  of  his  design,  detached 
as  many  men  as  could  be  usefully  employed,  to  strengthen  that 
angle ;  by  means  of  bags  of  sand,  of  flour,  and  other  articles,  it 
was  effectually  secured.  Under  a  supposition  that  his  fire  hac" 
shattered  the  stockade  work,  which  was  not  at  all  injured.  Ge- 
neral Proctor  ordered  Lieutenant-Colonel  Short  to  lead  up  p 
close  column  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  regulars,  of  the  41st 
regiment,  to  storm  the  fort  at  that  point,  w  hilst  a  second  column 
should  make  a  feint  upon  that  part  of  the  American  line,  which 
was  commanded  by  Captain  Hunter,  of  the  17th.  This  attempt 
to  draw  the  attention  of  the  garrison  from  the  north-west  anglij 
did  not  succeed.  The  troops  posted  there  were  ordered  to  re- 
main firm ;  and  when  the  column,  which  was  advancing  against 
ihem  had  approached  within  twenty  paces  of  the  lines,  befoie 
which  time  it  was  so  completely  enveloped  in  smoke  as  not  tc 
be  observed,  they  opened  a  heavy  and  galling  fire,  which  threw 
the  advancing  party  into  confusion,  and  intimidated  that  which 
was  reserved  for  the  attack  on  the  other  angle  of  the  fort.  The 
British  battery,  which  was  then  enlarged  by  two  other  six 
pounders,  was  again  opened,  and  sustained  the  advance  of  the 


ii: 


206 


DEFENSE  OF  FORT  STEPHENSON. 


' 


'J, 


t 


Derense  of  Fort  Stephenioii. 

two  columns,  by  an  incessant,  though  equally  unsuccessful  fire 
as  the  tormer.  Colonel  Short  rallying  his  men  with  great  alac- 
rity, again  led  them  up,  advanced  to  the  stockade,  and  springing 
over  the  pickets,  into  the  ditch,  commanded  the  whole  column 
to  follow  and  assault  the  works  with  the  utmost  vigour,  but  to 
give  no  quarter  to  any  of  the  American  soldiers. 

T  the  north-western  angle  stood  a  block-house,  in 
which  a  six-pounder  had  been  heretofore  judi- 
ciously concealed.  It  was  at  this  instant 
opened,  and  having  previously  been  pointed 
so  as  to  rake  in  that  situation,  a  double  charge 
of  leaden  slugs,  was  fired  into  the  ditch,  and 
sweeping  the  whole  column,  the  front  of  which 
was  only  thirty  feet  distant  from  the  piece,  killed  Colonel  Short, 
and  almost  every  man  who  had  ventured  to  obey  his  order.  A 
volley  of  musketry  was  fired  at  the  same  time,  and  great  num- 
bers of  the  enemy,  who  had  not  yet  entered  the  dixh,  were 
severely  wounded.  • 

The  officer  who  succeeded  Colonel  Short  in  the  command  of 
the  broken  column,  immediately  rallied  and  formed  it  anew,  and 
led  it  on  to  the  same  fatal  point.  A  second  fire  from  the  de 
Structive  six-pourvier,  was  poured  upon  it,  with  as  much  success 


PROMOTION   OF   MAJOR   CROGHAN. 


207 


as  the  first ;  and  the  small  arms  were  discharged  so  briskly,  that 
the  enemy's  troops  were  again  thrown  into  confusion,  and  not  all 
the  exertions  of  the  British  officers  could  bring  them  up  to  another 
assault.  They  fled  precipitately  to  an  adjoining  wood,  and  were 
very  soon  followed  by  the  Indians.  In  a  few  minutes  the  firing 
entirely  ceased ;  and  an  army  much  more  than  ten  times  supe 
rior  to  a  small  jjarrison,  was  compelled  to  relinquish  an  attack 
the  successful  issue  of  which  was  not  at  all  doubted  by  any  one 
of  its  officers. 

A  strong  degree  of  terror  prevailed  among  the  collected  forces. 
The  Indians  were  enraged  and  mortified  at  this  unparalleled 
defeat ;  and  carrying  their  dead  and  wounded  from  the  field, 
they  indignantly  followed  the  British  regulars  to  the  shipping. 
General  Proctor  abandoned  his  wounded,  and  left  the  dead 
bodies  of  his  most  distinguished  officers,  among  whom  was 
Colonel  Short,  in  the  ditch.  During  the  night  of  the  2d,  Major 
Croghan  received  as  many  of  the  wounded  enemy  through  the 
port-hole  as  were  able  to  approach  it,  and  to  those  who  could 
not,  he  threw  out  provisions  and  water. 

On  the  morning  of  the  3d,  the  gun-boats  and  transports  sailec!. 
down  the  bay,  and  guards  of  soldiers  were  immediately  after- 
wards sent  out  to  collect  and  bring  into  the  fort  all  the  wounded, 
and  to  bury  the  enemy's  dead  with  all  the  honours  to  which,  by 
their  rank,  they  were  entitled.  Seventy  stand  of  arms,  several 
braces  of  pistols,  and  a  boat  containing  much  clothing  and  mili- 
tary stores,  which  haxl  been  left  in  the  hurry  of  the  enemy's 
flight,  were  then  taken.  The  loss  of  the  assailants  was  reported 
to  have  been  not  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty ;  that  of  the 
garrison  was  one  killed,  and  seven  slightly  wounded. 

The  brilliancy  of  this  affair  procured  for  the  officers  and  men 
fhe  thanks  of  the  government,  and  the  unfeigned  applause  of  all 
parties  in  the  Union.  Major  Croghan  was  soon  after  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel,  and  was  presented  with  a  sword 
by  the  ladies  of  Chillicothe.  His  precaution  and  activity  pre- 
vented a  very  important,  though  weak  post,  from  falling  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy ;  and  gave  a  powerful  check  to  their  plan  of 
operations  for  the  remaining  part  of  the  campaign.  The  com- 
mander-in-chief, whose  positive  orders  he  had  ventured  fo  dis 


1  •  ? 


ill 


!H1 


208 


OFFICERS    AT    FORT    STEPHENSON. 


!■■  ^ 


Oolontl  OrofhaB. 

obey,  yielded  him  his  warmest  approbation,  and  recommended  to 
the  early  notice  of  the  department  of  war,  a  young  soldier  of 
twenty-one  years  who  had  baffled  the  most  ingenious  efforts  of 
the  British  general,  and  had  sustained  his  various  assaults  for 
ihiity  six  hours.  Besides  Major  Croghan  the  garrison  contained 
seven  officers,  all  of  whom  distinguished  themselves.  Captain 
Hunter  was  second  in  command,  ancl  resisted  the  attacks  of  the 
second  British  column,  as  well  as  of  the  Indians.  Lieutenants 
Johnson,  Bayler,  and  Meeks,  of  the  17th,  and  Anthony,  of  the 
24th,  and  Ensigns  Shippand  Duncan,  of  the  17th,  were  stationed 
at  different  places  in  the  garrison,  and  acquitted  themselves  with 
great  credit. 

General  Harrison  had  no  sooner  been  apprized  of  the  approach 
of  the  enemy  towards  Fort  Stephenson,  than  he  sent  orders  for  the 
immediate  march  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  volunteers  from  Uppjr 
Sandusky,  and  put  in  readiness  all  the  infantry  at  Seneca  under 
Generals  M' Arthur  and  Cass.  Scouts  were  instantly  forwarded 
to  reconnoiter  the  position  of  the  enemy,  but  in  consequence  of 


fii  '■ 


TH       FLEET   ON    LAKE    ERIE. 


209 


tho  strong  disposition  of  the  Indian  forces  they  were  unahle  to 
approach  the  garrison,  and  were  met  by  General  Harrison  and 
his  dragoons  between  Seneca  Town  and  Fort  Stephenson.  Here 
the  retreat  of  the  enemy  under  Proctor,  and  the  investment  of 
Fort  Meigs  by  Tecumseh,  were  first  heard  of;  and  the  general 
directed  M' Arthur  and  Cass  to  fall  back  to  Seneca  Town  for  the 
protection  of  the  sick  and  the  provisions.  But  two  days  atler, 
Tecumseh  and  his  Indians  followed  the  steps  of  Proctor  and 
Dixon,  and  all  apprehensions  about  the  safety  of  the  military  hos- 
pitals were  therefore  removed. 

The  American  fleet  on  Lake  Erie  having  been  completed,  and 
with  great  difficulty  passed  over  the  bar,  a  principal  part  of  the 
crew  of  each  vessel  being  made  up  of  the  Pennsylvania  militia, 
who  had  volunteered  to  go  on  an  expedition,  sailed  on  a  short 
cruise  for  the  purpose  of  training  the  guns  and  of  exercising  the 
sailors.  In  the  latter  part  of  August,  Commodore  Perry  pro- 
ceeded to  the  mouth  of  Sandusky  river,  to  co-operate  with  G  ene- 
ral  Harrison.  At  this  place  about  seventy  volunteer  marines ' 
were  received  on  board,  and  the  fleet  sailed  in  quest  of  the  British 
squadron.  Tlie  latter  was,  at  that  time,  near  Maiden,  before 
which  place  Commodore  Perry  appeared,  and  after  reconnoitering 
the  enemy,  he  retired  to  Put-in-Bay,  a  distance  of  thirty  miles, 
in  hopes  of  drawing  out  his  antagonist. 

On  the  morning  of  the  10th  of  September,  the  enemy  was  dis- 
covered bearing  down  upon  the  American  squadron,  which  im- 
mediately got  under  way  and  stood  out  to  meet  him.  The 
superiority  of  force  was  greaily  in  favour  6f  the  British,  though 
they  had  not  an  equal  number  of  vessels.  Their  crews  were 
larger,  and  the  length  and  number  of  their  guns  greater  than 
those  of  the  American  squadron.  The  latter  consisted  of  the  brig 
Lawrence,  (flag  vessel,)  of  twenty  guns;  the  Niagara,  Captain 
Elliot,  of  twenty ;  tho  Caledonia,  Lieutenant  Turner,  of  three ; 
the  schooner  Ariel,  of  four ;  the  Scorpion,  of  two ;  the  Somers,  of 
two,  and  two  swivels ;  the  sloop  Trippe,  and  schooners  Tigress 
and  Porcupine,  of  one  gun  each ;  making  a  fleet  of  nine  vessels, 
of  fifty-four  guns  and  two  swivels.  The  British  squadron  con- 
sisted of  the  ships  Detroit,.  Commodore  Barclay,  of  nineteen  guns 
and  two  howitzers;  the  Queen  Charlotte,  Captain  Finnis,  of 


b-J 


M 


27 


/ 


210 


BATTLE    OF    LAKE    ERIE. 


r-i  : 
HI  J: 
if,' 


seventeen  and  one  howitzer ;  the  schooner  Lady  Prevost,  Lieute 
nant  Buchan,  of  thirteen  and  one  howitzer;  the  brig  Hunter,  of 
ten ;  the  sloop  Little  Boh,  of  three ;  and  the  schooner  Chippewa, 
of  one  and  two  swivels;  making  a  fleet  of  six  vessels  and  sixty- 
three  guns,  four  howitzers,  and  two  swivels. 

When  the  American  fleet  stood  out,  the  British  fleet  had  the 
weallior-gage,  but  at  ten  o'clock,  a.  m.,  the  wind  shifted  am] 
brought  the  American  to  windward.  The  line  of  battle  was 
formed  at  eleven,  and  at  fifteen  minutes  before  twelve  the  euoiny's 
flag  shij)  and  the  Queen  Charlotte  opened  upon  the  Lawrence  a 
heavy  and  effectual  fire,  which  she  was  obliged  to  sustain  up- 
wards of  ten  minutes,  without  a  possibility  of  returnmg  it  in  coii- 
seqiien<-e  of  hor  battery  being  of  carronades.  She  nevertheless 
continued  to  bear  up,  and  having  given  a  signal  to  the  other  ves- 
sels to  support  her,  at  a  few  minutes  before  twelve  opened  her 
fire  upon  the  enemy. 

The  wind  being  too  light  to  assist  the  remainder  of  the  squad- 
ron in  coming  up,  the  Lawrence  was  compelled  to  fight  the 
enemy's  heaviest  vessels  upwards  of  two  hours.  The  crew  were 
not  at  all  depressed ;  their  animation  increased  as  the  desperation 
of  the  fight  became  greater,  and  the  guns  were  worked  with  as 
much  coolness  and  precision  as  if  they  had  been  in  the  act  of 
training  only.  The  slaughter  on  board  the  brig  was  almost  un- 
paralleled, the  rigging  very  much  injured,  and  the  braces  entirely 
shot  away ;  and  at  length,  after  every  gun  had  been  rendered 
useless  she  became  quite  unmanageable.  The  first  lieutenant, 
Yarnall,  was  thrice  wounded ;  the  second  lieutenant.  Forrest, 
struck  in  the  breast;  the  gallant  Lieutenant  Brookes,  of  the  ma- 
rines, and  Midshipman  Laub  were  killed,  and  Sailingmastcr 
Taylor,  Purser  Hamilton,  and  Midshipmen  Claxton  and  Swart- 
wout,  wounded.  Her  loss  already  amounted  to  twenty-two  killed, 
and  sixty-one  wounded :  when  the  commodore,  seeing  that  she 
must  very  soon  strike,  if  the  other  vessels  were  not  brought  up, 
gave  up  the  command  of  the  Lawrence  to  Lieutenant  Yarnall. 
and  jumping  into  a  boat,  ordered  it  to  be  steered  for  the  Niagara, 
to  which  vessel  he  had  determined  to  shift  his  flag.  In  passing 
from  the  Lawrence  to  the  Niagara.  Jie  stood  up,  waving  his 
sword,  and  gallantly  cheering  his  men,  under  a  shower  of  balls 


II 


m  . 


V.  '. 


.»'.(!t 


■I 


and  bulle 
flag  of  th 
instant  ii 
minutes  } 

All  the 
the  enem 
commodo 
He  theref 
Queen  C 
structive 
Chippewj 
within  ha 
mander  c 
guished  1; 
in  the  fac 
diately  rai 
to  get  cl( 
Turner,  o 
interfered 
chance  of 
from  attei 
the  office 

The  Bu 
broadside 
the  confl 
Lawreno 
had  thei 
aspect,  h 
lost  her  ( 
some  mis 
vessels  b 
was  imn 
pelled  to 
and  othe 
modore's 
Charlotte 
came  dc 
rendered 


CAPTURE  OF  THE  BRITISH  FLEET. 


C!3 


and  bullets.  He  gained  the  Niagara  uulinrt,  at  the  moment  the 
flag  of  the  Lawrence  came  down ;  and  the  wind  having  at  that 
instant  increased,  he  brought  her  into  action,  and  at  forty-five 
minutes  past  two,  gave  signal  for  the  whole  ileet  to  close. 

All  the  vessels  were  now  engaged,  but  as  the  buperiority  of 
the  enemy  had  been  increased  by  the  loss  of  the  Lawrence,  the 
commodore  determined  on  piercing  his  line  with  the  Niagara. 
He  therefore  resolutely  bore  up,  and  passing  ahead  of  the  Detroit, 
Queen  Charlotte,  and  Lady  Prevost,  poured  a  galling  and  de- 
structive fire  into  each,  from  his  starboard  side,  and  into  the 
Chippewa  and  Little  Belt,  from  his  larboard.  He  was  then 
within  half  pistol-shot,  and  as  he  cut  through  the  line,  the  com- 
mander of  the  Lady  Prevost,  a  brave  officer,  who  had  distin- 
guished himself  at  the  battle  of  the  Nile,  received  a  musket-ball 
in  the  face,  and  the  crew  being  unable  to  stand  the  fire,  imme- 
diately ran  below.  At  this  moment  the  Caledonia  was  struggling 
to  get  closer  into  the  action,  and  her  commander,  Lieutenant 
Turner,  ordered  her  guns  to  be  fired  through  the  foresail,  which 
interfered  between  him  and  the  enemy,  rather  than  lose  the 
chance  of  a  full  share  in  the  combat,  and  was  only  prevented 
from  attempting  to  board  the  Detroit,  by  the  prudent  refusal  of 
the  officer  of  another  small  vessel,  to  assist  him. 

The  action  was  now  raging  with  its  utmost  violence ;  every 
broadside  fired  with  the  most  exact  precision,  and  the  result  of 
the  conflict  altogether  uncertain.  In  addition  to  the  loss  of  the 
Lawrence's  guns,  one  of  the  Ariel's  had  bursted,  and  the  enemy 
had  then  the  superiority  of  thirty-four  guns.  This  doubtful 
aspect,  however,  soon  after  changed.  The  Queen  Charlotte  had 
lost  her  captain,  and  all  her  principal  officers ;  and  having,  by 
some  mischance,  run  foul  of  the  Detroit,  most  of  the  guns  of  both 
vessels  became  useless.  In  this  situation,  advantage  of  which 
was  immediately  taken  by  Commodore  Perry,  they  were  com- 
pelled to  sustain,  in  turn,  an  incessant  fire  from  the  Niagara, 
and  other  vessels  of  the  American  squadron.  The  British  com- 
modore's flag  was  soon  after  struck,  and  those  of  the  Queen 
Charlotte  and  Lady  Prevost,  the  Hunter  and  the  Chippewa, 
came  down  in  immediate  succession.  The  whole  fleet  sui- 
rendered  to  the  inferior  squadron,  with  the  exception  of  tht. 


[ 


m'f' 


r 

I' 


214 


RESULTS    OF    THE    BATTLE. 


I 


I 


I  : 

I't       1 


ri:'! 


if 


Commodore  Perry. 

Little  Belt,  which  attempted  to  escape,  but  was  pursued  by  twc 
of  the  gun-boats,  and  captured  at  a  distance  of  three  miles  from 
the  squadron. 

Thus,  after  an  action  of  three  hours,  in  which  the  individual 
gallantry  of  either  fleet,  had  never  been  surpassed  by  any  naval 
event  now  to  be  found  on  the  record  of  history,  was  the  entire 
command  of  this  important  lake,  yielded  to  the  American  arms. 
To  the  future  operations  of  the  north-western  army,  every  pros- 
pect of  success  was  thrown  open,  and  the  recovery  of  the  lost 
territory  became  no  longer  doubtful.  Commodore  Perry  informed 
his  government,  that  it  had  ^^ pleased  the  Almighty  to  crown  their 
arms  7vith  success,^*  and  attributed  the  issue  to  the  gallant  conduct 
of  his  officers,  his  men,  and  the  volunteers  on  board.  Among  them, 
are  to  be  found  the  names  of  Captain  Elliott,  Lieutenants  Turner, 
Edwards,  and  Midshipmen  Laud,  Claxton,  Swartwout,  Clark, 
and  Cummings — of  the  conduct  of  Lieutenants  Yarnall  and 
Brookes,  and  Purser  Hamilton ;  the  latter  of  whom  worked  as  a 


;tJ:i 


INVASION    OF    CANADA. 


2V5 


common  sailor,  at  a  gun,  the  best  evidence  has  been  given — the 
admiration  of  the  whole  squadron,  as  well  as  that  of  the  enemy 

The  number  of  killed  and  wounded  in  both  fleets  was  exces- 
sively great.  Commodore  Barclay  was  wounded  in  the  hip,  and 
lost  the  use  of  his  right  arm.  The  other  had  been  shot  off  in  a 
former  action.  The  loss  on  board  his  squadron  exceeded  two 
hundred.  The  American  loss  amounted  to  twenty-seven  killed, 
and  ninety-six  wounded.  The  captured  vessels  were  convoyed 
to  the  bay  of  Sandusky;  and  the  prisoners,  six  hundred  in 
number,  conducted  to  Chillicothe.  Among  these  were  a  few 
companies  of  the  British  41st  regiment,  who  had  been  taken  on 
board  to  act  as  marines. 

The  result  of  this  brilliant  conflict  was  immediately  followed 
by  active  and  extensive  preparations  for  the  expulsion  of  the 
enemy  from  Detroit,  the  entire  subjugation  of  Maiden,  and  tho 
overthrow  of  General  Proctor's  army.  These  objects  achieved, 
the  operations  on  the  Niagara  and  St.  T  awrence  would  be 
rapidly  facilitated,  and  the  most  plausible  prospects  held  out  to 
an  expedition  against  Montreal.  Governor  Meigs  had  made  a  call 
upon  the  militia  of  Ohio,  as  soon  as  he  was  informed  of  the 
attack  upon  Fort  Stephenson,  and  upwards  of  fifteen  thousand 
volunteers  were  very  soon  under  arms.  Many  of  these  were 
not  yet  discharged,  and  General  Harrison  now  required  a  pro- 
portion of  them.  At  the  mouth  of  Portage  river,  he  intended 
that  his  whole  army  should  be  concentrated ;  and  between  that 
point  and  Sandusky  bay  he  caused  fences  of  logs  to  be  con- 
structed for  the  protection  of  the  horses  and  baggage. 

The  governor  of  Kentucky,  Isaac  Shelby,  arrived  at  the  new 
head-quarters  of  the  army  on  the  17th  of  September,  with  four 
thousand  well  mounted  volunteers.  The  works  at  Fort  Meigs 
being  reduced,  and  garrisoned  by  a  few  men,  General  M'Arthur 
marched  from  that  post  with  his  brigade,  and  joined  the  main 
body  also.  Thus  strengthened.  General  Harrison  determined  on 
invading  the  enemy's  shores ;  and,  at  the  dawn  of  the  21st,  he 
ordered  his  forces  to  embark  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  to 
rendezvous  at  the  different  islands,  wliich  lay  in  clusters  between 
Maiden  and  the  point  of  embarkation.  To  Colonel  Johnson, 
who  commanded  a  Kentucky  mounted  regiment  at  Fort  Meigs, 


,ii 


1;!   i!- 


I 


1*1  f.  si' 


t|:1;::: 


If  ll.  , 


P '')':. 


816 


INVASION    OF    CANADA. 


Guvurnor  Shelby. 


ho  gave  orders  to  proceed  to  Detroit  by  land;  arrangements 
having  been  first  made,  by  which  that  officer  and  the  com- 
mander-in-chief were  to  be  informed  of  each  other's  progress 
by  daily  expresses. 

On  the  27th  the  troops  were  received  on  board  the  fleet,  now 
enlarged  by  the  captured  vessels.  They  were  embarked  at  a 
small  island,  about  twenty  miles  from  Maiden,  called  the  Eastern 
Sister,  and  one  of  two  islands  to  which  the  name  of  the  Sisters 
had  been  given.  In  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  the  fleet  which 
was  composed  of  sixteen  vessels  of  war,  and  upwards  of  one 
hundred  boats  arrived  at  a  point  three  miles  below  Maiden.  Here 
the  troops  were  landed  in  good  order,  and  with  perfect  silence, 
and  proceeded  thence  to  Amherstburg  by  eschellon  movements. 

The  British  general  well  aware  that  the  American  commander 
would  early  avail  himself  of  the  advantages  lately  gained  by  the 
capture  of  the  fleet,  had  made  preparations  to  retire  into  the 
interior  of  Canada,  to  a  place  of  better  security  than  Maiden. 
He  was  apprized  by  his  videttes,  of  the  approach  of  General 
Harrison,  and  having  first  set  fire  to  the  fort,  and  destroyed  every 
article  of  public  property,  he  ordered  his  forces,  which  were  still 
composed  of  British  regulars,  and  Tecumseh's  and  Dixon's 
Indians,  to  retreat  along  the  Thames,  and  thence  toward  its  course 
'o  the  Moravian  towns.  The  fort,  the  barracks,  a  ud  Dther  public 


CAPTURE    OF    AMHERSTBURG. 


217 


buildings  were  still  smoking,  when  the  American  army  entered 
Amherstburg,  and  a  number  of  females  came  out  to  implore 
protection  from  its  commander.  They  received  it.  The  guns 
of  the  batteries  had  been  previously  sunk,  one  only  remained  on 
an  island  opposite  Maiden,  and  that  had  been  left  in  the  con 
fusion  of  the  enemy's  retreat  to  the  Thames. 

Amherstburg  had  heretofore  been  the  repository  of  Indian 
spoil,  and  the  principal  depot  of  Indian  presents.  The  tribes 
had  been  continually  provided  with  munitions  of  war  from  the 
(rarrison  there ;  and  rewarded  at  that  post,  for  the  outrages  com- 
mitted by  them,  at  various  times,  upon  the  people  of  the  adjoin- 
ino-  American  territories.  The  previous  sufferings  of  the  citizens 
of  the  frontier,  had  all  been  derived  from  the  activity  of  British 
traders  who  were  proprietors  of  the  property  and  soil;  yet, 
though  almost  every  volunteer  of  the  American  army  had  been 
affected,  either  in  his  possessions,  in  his  own  person,  or  that  of 
his  relatives,  by  the  incursions  and  outrages  of  the  enemy,  the 
inhabitants  of  Amherstburg  were  protected  from  violence,  and 
their  individual  property  honourably  respected.  Highly,  and 
frequently,  as  the  indignation  of  these  troops  had  been  excited, 
they  were  still  determined  to  contrast  their  conduct  here  with 
that  of  the  British  ^nd  Indians,  at  the  river  Raisin;  and  the 
house  and  grounds,  therefore,  of  the  most  active  officer  at  that 
scene,  Colonel  Elliott,  suffered  not  the  least  molestation. 

On  the  28th  the  army  crossed. ia  Riviere  aux  Cannurds,  the 
bridge  over  which  the  enemy  had  not  stopped  to  destroy,  and 
arrived  at  Sandwicu  on  the  following  day,  the  fleet  moving  at 
the  same  time,  through  the  river  Detroit,  to  that  place.  Go- 
vernor Shelby's  command  then  occupied  the  point  at  which  the 
first  invasion  of  Canada  had  been  attempted,  whilst  the  remain- 
der of  the  army  crossed  over  to  the  delivery  of  the  town  of  De- 
troit out  of  the  possession  of  the  British  Indians,  who  immedi- 
atOiy  abandoned  the  garrison,  and  retreated  in  different  directions. 
General  Harrison,  knowing  that  large  numbers  of  warriors, 
under  Split-Log,  were  collecting  in  the  woods  near  Huron  of 
Lake  St.  Clair,  directed  General  M'Arthnr  to  remain  with  most 
jf  the  regulars,  in  the  occupation  of  Detroit,  whilst  he  would 
pursue  the  army  of  General  Proctor  up  the  Thames. 

T  38 


I 


X 


i 


pf"  ?''■ 


I'^m 


218 


SKIRMISH    WITH    THE     INDIANS. 


Colonel  R.  M.  Johnson's  regiment  had  arrived  at  Detroit  on 
the  day  after  its  occupation  by  the  American  army ;  and  having 
concentrated  this  force,  with  a  part  of  Colonel  Ball's  regiment  of 
dragoons,  and  the  whole  of  Governor  Shelby's  volunteers,  the 
commander-in-chief,  on  the  2d  of  October,  pursued  the  enemy's 
route.  Such  was  the  rapidity  of  his  movement,  that  he  encamped 
in  the  evening  of  the  same  day  at  the  river  Riscum,  a  distance 
of  twenty-six  miles  from  Sandwich.  Early  on  the  morning  of 
the  3d,  he  resumed  his  march,  and  being  accompanied  by  Gene- 
ral Cass  and  Commodore  Perry,  as  acting  aids,  he  proceeded  in 
the  advance  with  Johnson's  regiment,  in  order  to  secure  the 
bridges  on  the  rivers  tributary  to  Lake  St.  Clair.  By  the  cap- 
ture  of  a  lieutenant  of  dragoons  and  eleven  privates,  who  had 
been  left  in  General  Proctor's  rear,  with  orders  to  take  up  every 
bridge  by  w^hich  the  approach  of  Harrison's  army  could  possibly 
be  facilitated,  one  bridge  was  saved,  and  the  American  general 
learned,  that  the  enemy  had  "  no  certain  information  of  his  ad. 
vance  up  the  Thames."  Within  eight  miles  of  this  river,  at 
Drake's  farm,  the  army  encamped  for  the  night,  and  its  baggage 
followed  thus  far,  in  the  transports  of  the  squadron. 

On  the  morning  of  the  4th,  the  army  again  proceeded  on  its 
route,  and  having  reached  Chatham,  seventeen  miles  from  Lake 
St.  Clair,  found  its  progress  obstructed  by  a  deep  and  unfordable 
creek,  the  bridge  of  which  had  been  partially  destroyed  by  a 
body  of  Indians,  who  now  made  their  appearance,  and  fired  on 
the  front  guard.  They  had  taken  position  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  creek,  and  flanked  the  American  army  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  river.  General  Harrison  made  immediate  arrangements 
to  disperse  or  capture  them.  Colonel  Johnson  was  already  sta- 
tioned on  the  right  of  the  line,  and  had  seized  the  ruins  of  another 
bridge,  under  a  smart  fire  from  the  Indians  on  that  flank.  Major 
Wood  was  directed  to  bring  up  his  artillery,  and  cover  the  pio- 
neers who  were  repairing  the  first  bridge.  This  he  did  with 
unexpected  success.  The  Indians  could  not  withstand  the 
heavy  discharges  of  artillery,  and  they  therefore  retired  without 
much  regard  to  the  order  of  their  retreat.  The  bridge  was 
quickly  repaired,  and  the  army  having  first  extinguished  the 
flames  of  a  farmhouse,  which  had  been  fired  by  the  Indians, 


DISPOSITION  FOR  THE   BATTLE. 


319 


and  captured  from  it  two  thousand  stand  of  arms  and  a  quantity 
of  clothing,  crossed  over  the  creek,  pursued  the  enemy  four 
miles  up  the  river,  annoyed  his  rearguard,  and  took  from  him 
several  pieces  of  cannon.  This  skirmish  continued  one  hour, 
in  which  time  two  men  of  the  army  were  killed,  and  six  wounded ; 
whilst  thirteen  were  killed  on  the  side  of  the  enemy.  Besides 
muskets,  cannon,  and  clothing,  he  lost  three  vessels,  loaded  with 
ordnance  stores  and  arms,  which  the  approach  of  the  Americans 
obliged  him  to  destroy. 

Oh  the  5th,  the  pursuit  was  eagerly  renewed,  and  attended 
by  the  capture  of  two  gun-boats  and  several  barges,  loaded  with 
provisions  and  ammunition.  Having  attained  the  ground  on 
which  the  enemy  had  encamped  the  night  before,  the  commander- 
in-chief  directed  Colonel  Johnson  to  hasten  the  march  of  his  ad- 
vance guard,  and  \o  send  forward  an  officer  to  reconnoiter  the 
situation  of  the  combined  British  and  Indian  forces.  This  officer 
very  soon  after  returned  with  intelligence  that  the  enemy  were 
prepared  for  action,  in  an  open  ground,  within  four  miles  of  the 
American  main  body. 

The  road  upon  which  General  Harrison  was  then  marching, 
entered  a  thick  and  extensive  forest  on  the  beach.  A  short  dis- 
tance from  the  bank  of  the  Thames  was  a  miry  swamp,  which 
extended  to  the  Moravian  town ;  and  between  this  swamp  and 
the  river  was  a  level  plain,  through  which,  because  of  the  thick 
underwood  in  the  forest,  the  army  would  be  obliged  to  make  its 
approaches.  Across  this  plain  the  British  line  was  drawn  up, 
with  its  left  resting  on  the  river,  supported  by  the  greatest  pro- 
portion of  their  artillery ;  its  centre  being  protected  by  two  heavy 
picucs,  and  its  strength,  in  regulars,  amounting  to  six  hundred. 
Twelve  hundred  Indians  were  formed  along  the  margin  of  the 
swamp. 

When  General  Harrison  had  come  up  with  the  main  body, 
and  was  advised  of  the  advantageous  situation  of  the  enemy,  he 
ordered  Colonel  Paul,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  regulars,  to 
occupy  a  space  between  the  road  and  the  river ;  to  advance  upon, 
and  divert  the  enemy,  and  on  an  opportunity,  to  seize  the  cannon 
which  defended  his  left  flank.  Lieutenant-Colonel  James  John- 
son was  directed  .to  form  Major  Payne's  battalion  of  the  mounted 
78 


220 


BATTLE    OF    THE    THAMES. 


regiment,  and  Major  Suggett's  three  spy  companies,  into  six 
charging  columns,  immediately  in  front  of  the  British  line  of 
regulars  and  an  Indian  flank ;  whilst  General  Kenny's  division 
of  infantry  should  be  stationed  for  his  support  in  his  rear.  Colo, 
nel  R.  M.  Johnson  was  charged  with  the  formation  of  another 
battalion,  in  front  of  the  Indians,  who  were  arrayed  oi)  the  mar- 
gin of  Ihe  swamp.  He  accordingly  dismounted  one  company, 
under  command  of  Captain  Stucker,  with  which  he  stretched  a 
line  in  the  face  of  the  Indians,  and  ordered  Major  Thompson  to 
form  the  remaining  four  companies,  on  horseback,  into  two  charw- 
ing  columns  of  double  files,  immediately  in  the  rear  of  the  line  on 
foot.  The  left  of  this  battalion  was  supported  by  the  infantry  of 
General  Desha. 

Thus  disposed,  with  the  main  army  in  their  rear,  these  di- 
visions moved  forward  to  the  attack.  The  British  gave  the  first 
fire,  upon  which  the  charge  was  quickly  ordered,  and  in  a  few 
moments  the  enemy's  line  was  pierced  by  upwards  of  one  thou- 
sand horsemen,  who,  dasliing  through  the  British  regulars  with 
irresistible  speed,  either  trampled  under  foot,  or  cut  down  every 
soldier  who  opposed  them ;  and  havmg  killed  and  wounded  up 
wards  of  fifty  at  one  charge,  instantly  formed  in  their  rear,  and 
repeated  the  attack.  Such  was  the  panic  which  pervaded  the 
whole  line  of  the  enemy,  that  an  order  which  had  been  issued  to 
fix  bayonet,  was  not  attempted  to  be  executed ;  and,  in  a  little 
while.  Colonels  Evans,  Warburton,  and  Baubee,  and  Majors  Muir 
and  Chambers,  surrendered  with  four  hundred  and  seventy-two 
prisoners.  The  charge  had  no  sooner  been  made,  than  General 
Proctor,  fearing  the  consequences  of  his  conduct  in  Michigan,  if 
he  should  be  taken  in  this  battle,  abandoned  his  command,  and 
made  his  escape  in  a  carriage,  under  a  strong  escort  of  dragoons. 

Whilst  this  brilliant  charge  was  making  on  the  right,  the  action 
was  raging  with  great  violence  on  the  left.  Between  the  Indians 
there,  and  the  mounted  men  and  infantry  drawn  up  against  them, 
it  was  longer  and  more  obstinately  contended.  The  Indiiar^ 
were  commanded  by  Tecumseh,  who  fought  with  more  than  his 
accustomed  skill,  and  having  posted  his  warriors  in  the  best  pos- 
sible situations  to  repulse  an  attack,  he  indicated  his  willingness 
to  receive  the  assault  of  the  American  cavalry ._    Colonel  John- 


DEATH    OF    TECUMSEH. 


221 


son,  who  saw  that  the  Indians  would  dispute  the  ground  with 
more  bravery  than  the  British  regulars,  placed  himself  at  the 
head  of  his  battalion,  and  led  it  up  to  a  vigorous  charge  u^mn 
Tecumseh's  flank.  That  chief  at  the  same  moment  dealt  out  a 
tremendous  fire,  which  though  severe  in  its  effect,  did  not  retard 
the  movement  of  the  advancing  columns.  But  the  difficulty  of 
penetrating  the  thicket  and  swamp  threw  an  impediment  in  the 
way  of  a  successful  result  to  an  onset  with  dragoons,  and  the  at 
tempt  to  break  the  Indian  line  in  consequence  failed.  An  en- 
gagement immediately  took  place,  however,  in  which,  after 
exchanging  several  rounds  with  Tecumseh's  band.  Colonel  John 
son  ordered  both  his  columns  to  dismount,  and  leading  them  up 
a  second  time,  he  made  a  desperate,  bat  successful  effort  to  break 
through  the  Indians.  Having  gained  the  rear  of  their  line,  his 
next  order  directed  his  men  to  fight  them  in  their  own  mode. 
The  contest  became  now  more  obstinate.  Notwithstanding  their 
line  had  been  thus  pierced,  and  their  warriors  were  falling  in 
considerable  numbers,  the  Indians  did  not  think  themselves  yet 
discomfited,  and  quickly  collecting  their  principal  strength  upon 
the  right,  they  made  an  attempt  to  penetrate  the  line  of  infantry 
under  General  Desha.  In  this  they  had  partially  succeeded,  a 
part  of  that  line  having  faltered,  when  Governor  Shelby  brought 
up  three  companies  of  his  volunteers  to  its  support,  and  in  turn 
threw  back  the  Indians. 

Meanwhile  Colonel  R.  M.  Johnson  had  been  five  times 
wounded,  and  in  that  state,  covered  with  blood,  and  exhausted  by 
pain  and  fatigue,  he  personally  encountered  Tecumseh.  The 
colonel  was  mounted  on  a  white  charger,  at  wliich,  being  a  con- 
spicuous object  the  Indians  had  continually  levelled  their  fire. 
A  shower  of  bullets  had  fallen  round  him;  his  holsters,  his 
clothes,  and  most  of  his  accoutrements,  were  pierced  in  several 
places ;  and  at  the  instant  when  he  discovered  Tecumseh  his 
horse  received  a  second  wound.  Tecumseh,  having  discharged 
his  rifle,  sprang  forward  with  his  tomahawk,  and  had  it  already 
raised  to  throw,  when  Colonel  Johnson's  horse  staggered  back, 
and  immediately  the  colonel  drew  forth  a  pistol,  shot  the  Indian 
through  the  head,  and  both  fell  to  the  ground  together. 

The  wounded  colonel  being  then  removed  from  the  field,  the 

t2 


li 


222 


THE    RESULT    OF    THE    VICTORY. 


Ih'.' 


¥m 


111 


command  of  that  battalion  devolved  on  Major  Thompson,  who 
continued  to  fight  the  whole  body  of  the  Indians,  (then  upwards 
of  one  thousand,)  more  than  an  hour,  and  eventually  put  them  to 
flight.  In  their  attempt  to  gain  the  village,  through  the  level 
plain,  they  were  pursued  and  numbers  of  them  cut  down  by  the 
cavalry. 

The  Americans  being  now  masters  of  the  field,  their  gallant 
commander,  who  had  been  in  every  part  of  the  action,  directed 
the  wounded  officers  and  men  of  both  armies  to  be  taken  care  of, 
and  the  trophies  of  the  victory  to  be  collected  and  conveyed  to 
the  squadron.  Among  these  were  several  pieces  of  brass  cannon, 
which  had  been  taken  from  Burgoyne  at  Saratoga,  in  the  strug- 
gle  for  the  independence  of  the  states,  and  surrendered  again  by 
General  Hull,  thirty-five  years  afterwards,  at  Detroit. 

In  the  battle  of  the  Thames  the  number  of  Americans  engaged 
did  not  exceed  fourteen  hundred.  The  nature  of  the  ground 
rendered  an  operation  by  the  whole  force  impracticable,  and  the 
main  body,  therefore,  formed  a  corps  of  reserve.  They  sustained 
a  loss  of  fifty  men  in  killed  and  wounded.  The  number  of  the 
former,  among  whom  was  a  brave  old  soldier  of  the  revolution, 
Colonel  Whitley,  who  now  served  as  a  volunteer  private  in  a 
Kentucky  regiment,  amounted  to  seventeen.  The  enemy  lost  in 
regulars  alone,  upwards  of  ninety  killed,  and  about  the  same 
number  wounded,  and  surrendered  in  all  six  hundred  prisoners. 
Among  the  Indians  one  hundred  and  twenty  were  killed,  includ- 
ing their  brave,  but  ambitious  and  inveterate  leader. 

A  squadron  of  horse,  which  had  been  ordered  in  pursuit  of 
Proctor  immediately  after  his  flight,  returned  to  General  Harri- 
son with  the  baggage  and  private  papers  of  the  British  com- 
mander, which  they  had  ^aken  within  one  hundred  yards  of  his 
escort.  By  the  speed  of  his  horses,  and  his  knowledge  of  the 
country,  he  successfully  eluded  his  pursuers. 

The  result  of  this  victory  was  highly  advantageous,  not  only 
to  the  operations  of  ^he  army  below,  but  to  all  the  north-western 
territories,  some  of  whose  inhabitants  were  released  from  the  re- 
straint of  a  conquered  people,  and  had  now  a  favourable  prospect 
of  future  tranquillity.  By  this  event  the  whole  British  force  in 
that  part  of  Canada  was  destroyed ;  the  association  with  each 


DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  MORAVIAN  TOWN. 


223 


other  of  the  different  hostile  tribes  to  the  United  States  prevented, 
and  their  reunion  with  the  enemy  entirely  cut  off.  By  the  fall 
of  the  Shawanese  chief  the  Americans  were  disencumbered  of 
their  most  powerful,  inveterate  and  experienced  Indian  enemy, 
and  a  sudden  check  was  given  to  that  spirit  of  barbarian  enter- 
prise to  which  that  frontier  had  hitherto  been  subject.  Tecumseh 
was  a  bold,  intrepid,  and  active  leader,  whose  undeviating  prac- 
tice it  was  never  to  make  a  prisoner.  He  was  ever  ready  to 
conceive  a  daring  and  inhuman  design,  and  would  execute  it  with 
unprecedented  and  remorseless  perseverance.  His  ruling  passion 
was  the  plunder  and  annihilation  of  the  people,  whom  he  be- 
lieved had  encroached  upon,  and  gradually  deprived  his  ancestry 
^f  their  soil.  But,  when  he  undertook  an  expedition  accompanied 
by  his  tribe,  he  would  relinquish  to  them  the  spoil,  though  he 
would  never  yield  the  privilege  of  destroying  the  victim.  To  the 
Indians  of  all  other  tribes,  as  well  as  to  that  among  whom  he  was 
born,  the  loss  of  a  leader  like  Tecumseh,  on  whose  capacity  and 
conduct  as  a  warrior  they  could  always  rely,  and  who  would  en- 
courage and  assist  in  their  cruelties,  was,  therefore,  irreparable. 
Such  indeed,  was  the  effect  of  his  death,  upon  the  tribes  gene- 
rally, that  many  of  the  chiefs  of  most  of  the  nations,  having  no 
confidence  in  any  other  leader,  gave  themselves  up  to  the  con- 
quering general,  and  negotiated  with  him  terms  of  peace,  which 
released  his  government  from  the  necessity  of  subsisting  their 
warriors. 

On  the  day  following  that  on  which  the  battle  of  the  Thames 
was  fought.  General  Harrison  destroyed  the  Moravian  town,  and 
commenced  his  march  for  Detroit,  where  he  negotiated  terms  of 
peace  with  other  tribes,  and  received  a  flag  from  General  Proc- 
tor, accompanied  by  a  request,  that  himiane  treatment  might  be 
extended  to  the  British  prisoners.  This  request  had  been  antici- 
pated by  the  American  general,  who  had  already  given  up  the 
simple  comforts  of  his  own  tent,  to  the  wounded  British  colonels ; 
and  had  instructed  his  troops  before  the  battle,  that  the  person 
even  of  General  Proctor  should  be  respected,  if,  by  the  fortune 
of  the  day,  it  should  be  thrown  into  their  hands. 

At  Detroit,  Governor  Shelby's  volunteers,  and  the  twelve 
months'  men,  were  all  honourably  discharged.     The  fort  was 


^ 


i 


! 


Hi 


224 


JUNCTION   WITH  THE   NORTHERN   ARMY. 


garrisoned  by  one  thousand  men,  under  General  Cass,  who  wai 
appointed  provisional  governor  of  the  Michigan  territory;  and 
the  civil  la\i  was  restored  to  the  condition  in  which  it  was  at  the 
time  when  General  Proctor  instituted  other  ordinances  for  the 
government  of  the  inhabitants. 

In  the  event  of  his  success  against  Procior,  the  commander- 
in-chief  had  been  directed  by  the  war  department,  to  join  the 
northern  army  on  the  Niagara;  and  accordingly,  having,  besides 
these  arrangements,  stationed  a  respectable  force  at  Maiden  and 
Sandwich,  on  the  23d  of  October  he  embarked  in  the  squadron 
of  Lake  Erie,  with  all  his  disposables,  and  sailed  for  the  village 
of  Buffalo,  were  he  arrived  before  the  beginning  of  November. 


Genertt  HarrUon  croMiD(  Um  Tbamet. 


■,.;■'  I 
■  "tf-  > 


rt 


PLAN   OF   OPERATIONS. 


225 


m 


\ 


CHAPTER  XII. 

®{irt«tionii  on  t^e  Xiagara  :JFrontirt. 


ORRESPONDENT  with  these  move- 
ments of  the  north-western  army,  a  plan 
of  operations  on  the  St.  Lawrence  had 
been  concerted  by  the  united  talents 
of  the  war  department,  which  had  been  trans- 
ferred to  the  frontier,  and  General  Wilkinson, 
who,  having  succeeded  to  the  command  of  the 
^  army  of  the  north,  had  established  his  head- 
quarters at  Fort  George.  By  this  plan,  the  cap- 
ture and  occupation  of  Montreal  and  Kingston,  the  grand  rendez- 
vous of  the  British  land  forces,  and  the  only  secure  harbour  for 
tlieir  naval  armaments,  was  contemplated ;  and  the  result  of  its 
successful  execution  could  not  fail  of  being  fruitful  with  advan- 
tages to  the  future  movements  of  the  army,  and  the  contem- 
plated conquest  of  the  province  of  Lower  Canada.  The  late 
overthrow  of  General  Proctor,  in  the  upper  province,  Increased 
the  expectations  of  the  department  and  the  army,  and  held  out 
to  each,  the  most  certain  prospects  of  eventual  success.  Two 
obstacles,  however,  presented  themselves  to  the  entire  fulfilment 
of  these  expectations.    The  lateness  of  the  season ;  which,  in  a 


!  Mi 


13 


11 


.1 


29 


226 


FORCES   ON   GRENADIER   ISLAND. 


, 


country  where  the  winter  commences  with  great  severity,  would 
raise  up  insurmountable  obstructions  to  the  movements  of  the 
troops ;  and  the  difference  of  opinion  between  the  commanding 
general  and  the  secretary  at  war,  as  to  which  post  should  bo  the 
first  object  of  assault.  Each  being  tenacious  of  his  own  opinion, 
and  both  anxious  for  the  consummation  of  the  concerted  schenK;, 
it  became  necessary  to  hasten  the  impending  operations,  by  the 
adoption  of  one  or  the  other.  The  deliberation  of  a  council  of 
war  was  propo  ed.  To  obviat  '■  the  first  difficulty,  tho  removal 
of  the  second  was  indispensable,  and  the  necessity  of  an  imme- 
diate decision,  upon  a  question  involving  the  interests  of  the  ex- 
pedition, became  more  obvious.  A  council  was  therefore  organ- 
ized, and  conceiving  that  the  success  of  the  design  depended  on 
an  early  movement  of  the  designated  force,  they  decided  without 
hesitation  on  a  descent  upon  Montreal. 

Arrangements  were  then  adopted  to  collect  and  concentrate  the 
different  regiments  on  Grenadier  island,  a  point  between  Kingston 
and  Sackett's  Harbour,  which  had  been  assigned  as  the  best  ren- 
dezvous, because  of  its  contiguity  to  the  liead  of  the  St.  Lawrence. 
Orders  were  forwarded  to  Fort  George,  to  Colonel  Scott  of  the 
artillery,  who  had  been  left  by  General  Wilkinson  in  command 
of  that  post,  to  embark  his  artillery  and  Colonel  Randolph's  regi- 
ment of  infantry,  on  board  a  vessel  of  the  squadron,  and  to  proceed 
to  the  island.  The  general  had  left  the  garrison  of  Fort  George 
on  the  2d  of  October,  with  the  largest  portion  of  the  troops,  who 
were  now  awaiting  the  remainder  at  the  rendezvous,  and  had 
been  actively  employed  in  providing  clothing  and  other  equip 
ments  necessary  to  the  soldiers  in  the  course  of  their  movement 
down  the  river.  Between  Grenadier  island  and  Sackett's  Har- 
bour, he  had  made  frequent  voyages,  to  see  that  the  troops  were 
well  bestowed  at  the  former,  and  that  the  different  detachments 
which  almost  daily  arrived  at  the  latter,  were  immediately  de- 
spatched thence.  He  had  caused  a  sufficient  number  of  boats  to 
be  prepared  to  convey  the  artillery  through  the  St.  Lawrence; 
nnd  having  assigned  the  command  of  Sackett's  Harbour  to  Lieu- 
lenant-Colonel  Dennis,  he  thence  proceeded  to  put  the  troops  m 
motion  at  the  island. 

By  this  time,  the  23d,  the  force  at  that  place  amounted  to 


t,  ";'■-■ 


RETREAT    OF    THE    BRITISH    TO    KINGSTON. 


227 


nearly  eight  thousand  men,  and  was  composed  of  Colonel  Moses 
Porter  8  light  artillery ;  a  few  companies  of  Colonel  Scott's  (2d) 
regiment  of  artillery;  Colonel  Macomb's  (3d)  regiment  of  artil- 
rery ;  the  5th  regiment  of  infantry ;  the  6th,  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Humphreys ;  the  lltli;  the  12th,  Colonel  Coles;  the  13th, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Prestm  ot  the  23d ;  the  14th,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Dix;  the  15th,  Colonel  Brearly ;  the  16th,  Colonel  Pearce; 
the  2l8t,  Colonel  Ripley;  the  22d,  Colonel  Brady ;  the  25th ;  and 
Major  Forsythe's  rille  corps. 

Having  issued  the  necessary  orders.  General  Wilkinson  re- 
solved on  moving  on  the  25th ;  and  although  the  gales  which  had 
prevailed  for  several  days  continued  with  unabated  violence,  and 
were  now  attended  with  heavy  rains,  his  anxiety  to  promote  the 
i.ssue  of  the  expedition  induced  him  to  order  the  embarkation  of 
the  troops;  and,  buffeting  with  a  disorder  which  had  rendered 
his  health  extremely  precarious,  he  remained  on  the  island  until 
the  embarkation  was  nearly  completed,  directing  the  boats  to  take 
advantage  of  the  momentary  pauses  of  the  storm  to  slide  into  the 
St.  Lawrence. 

A  few  days  before,  intelligence  had  been  forwarded  by  Colonel 
Scott,  of  the  enemy's  having  evacuated  the  intrenchments  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Fort  George,  and  of  their  having  burnt  and 
otherwise  destroyed  all  their  camp  equipage  and  many  stand  of 
arms,  in  order  to  facilitate  the  march  of  their  troops  to  Kingston ; 
to  which  place  they  had  been  ordered  as  soon  as  General  Wil- 
kinson's contemplated  movement  was  discovered.  They  had 
been  apprized  of  the  intentions  of  the  American  general  previous 
to  the  9th,  and  on  that  day  they  abandoned  the  whole  peninsula 
on  the  Niagara,  and  directed  their  attention  to  the  defense  of 
Kingston,  against  which  they  supposed  the  Americans  would 
move.  To  keep  that  impression  alive,  and  to  confine  their  plans 
to  the  protection  of  Kingston  only,  General  Wilkinson  fixed  on 
French  creek,  which  lies  immediately  opposite  the  point  at  which 
the  British  suspected  he  would  land,  as  the  general  rendezvous 
of  the  troops  after  their  entrance  into  the  St.  Lawrence.  Briga- 
dier-General Brown  (now  of  the  United  States  regulars)  was 
ordered  forward  to  command  the  advance  of  the  army  at  that 
place,  and  the  rear  was  soon  after  strengthened  by  the  arrivj*] 


li'. 


■im 


"lilfHi 


!(i<": 


\u:\'  'i' 


P-] 


h 


228 


DESCENT    OF    THE    ST.    LAWRENC2. 


at  Grenadier  island  of  the  20th  regiment,  under  Colonel  Ran- 
dolph. 

On  the  1st  of  November  the  enemy  appeared  at  French  creek 
with  a  squadron  of  four  large  vessels,  and  a  number  of  boats  filled 
with  infantry,  and  attacked  the  detachment  at  that  place  in  the 
evening.  General  Brown  hastily  made  arrangements  to  defend 
his  position,  and  after  a  short  cannonade  the  enemy's  vessels  were 
compelled  to  retire,  by  a  battery  of  three  eighteen-pounders, 
which  had  been  erected  and  managed  with  great  spirit  by  Cap. 
tains  McPherson  and  Fanning  of  the  artillery  The  enemy  fell 
down  to  a  convenient  harbour,  and  renewed  his  attack  on  the 
following  morning.  By  the  same  judicious  arrangements  he  was 
again  repulsed,  and  a  few  hours  afterwards  the  American  squad- 
ron entered  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  took  a  position  near  French 
creek,  to  command  the  north  and  south  channels.  On  the  3d 
and  4th  the  rear  of  the  army  arrived  at  the  general  rendezvous. 
On  the  5th  the  flotilla  of  transports  got  under  way,  and  arrived 
without  accident  below  Morrisville. 

On  the  6th  the  commander-in-chief  ordered  the  flotilla  to  de- 
scend with  the  whole  army,  to  a  point  within  three  miles  of  Pres- 
cott,  and  directed  the  powder  and  fixed  ammunition  to  be  de- 
barked, and  transported  by  land,  under  cover  of  the  night,  below 
the  enemy's  batteries.  Before  either  of  these  orders  was  put  in 
execution,  he  proceeded  in  his  gig  to  reconnoiter  the  place,  and 
having  concluded  that  the  safest  passage  of  the  troops  would  be 
effected  on  shore,  he  ordered  the  debarkation  of  every  man,  ex- 
cept the  number  necessary  to  navigate  the  boats,  and  the  army 
marched  by  night,  two  miles  below  Prescott.  Arrangements  were 
also  made  for  the  passage  of  the  flotilla,  to  the  same  point ;  and 
General  Brown  being  the  general  oflftcer  of  the  day,  wets  charged 
with  the  superintendence.  Availing  himself  of  a  heavy  fog  whioh 
came  on  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  commander-in-chief, 
believing  he  could  pass  the  enemy's  fort  unobserved,  put  the  flo- 
tilla and  the  mt»,rching  columns  in  motion  at  the  same  instant, 
and  proceeded  in  his  gig,  followed  by  his  passage  boat  and  staff, 
ahead  of  the  former.  An  unexpected  change  of  the  atmosphere 
enabled  the  enemy's  garrison  to  discover  the  boats,  and  the 
«'olumns  upon  land,  whose  movements  had  been  simultaneous. 


DESCENT    OF    THE    ST.    LAWRENCE. 


22S 


Nearly  fifty  twenty-four-pound  shot  were  fired  at  the  general's 
passage  boat,  and  the  columns  were  assailed  with  great  numbers 
of  shot  and  shells.  Neither  of  these  attacks  were  successful,  nor 
did  the  Americans  sustain  the  slightest  degree  of  injury.  The 
flotilla  had  been  halted  by  General  Brown  as  soon  as  the  firing 
was  heard,  and  it  did  not  resume  its  course  until  the  setting  of 
the  moon ;  when,  in  attempting  to  pass,  at  the  same  place,  it  was 
attacked  also.  It  nevertheless  pursued  its  passage  to  the  place  of 
destination,  under  a  heavy,  though  ineffectual  fire  of  three  hours. 
During  all  this  time,  of  three  hundred  boats  of  which  the  flotilla 
was  comprised,  not  one  was  touched  by  a  ball ;  and  before  ten 
o'clock  of  the  7th,  they  all  safely  arrived  at  the  designated  ren- 
dezvous. From  this  place  the  commander-in-chief  forwarded  an 
order  to  General  Hampton,  commanding  the  left  division  of  the 
northern  army  to  form  a  junction  with  the  division  then  descend- 
ing the  St.  Lawrence. 

On  the  7th  the  difficulties  in  this  descent  increased.  The  in- 
disposition of  the  general  became  alarming.  The  passage  of  the 
troops  was  delayed  half  a  day  in  extricating  two  schooners  from 
the  river  near  Ogdensburg,  which  were  loaded  with  provisions, 
and  had  been  driven  to  that  place  by  the  enemy's  fire.  In  the 
course  of  the  morning,  the  commander-in-chief  had  been  informed 
that  the  coast  below  was  lined  with  posts  of  artillery  and  mus- 
ketry, at  every  narrow  pass  of  the  river.  He  therefore  detached 
Colonel  Macomb,  with  the  elite  corps  of  about  twelve  hundred 
men,  to  remove  these  obstructions.  At  three  in  the  afternoon  the 
army  followed.  Immediately  after  passing  the  first  rapid  of  the 
St.  Lawrence,  the  passage  boat  of  the  general  was  again  attacked 
by  two  pieces  of  light  artillery,  which  Colonel  Macomb  had  not 
observed  in  his  march.  No  other  injury  was  done,  however,  than 
the  cutting  of  the  rigging,  the  attention  of  these  pieces  being  di- 
verted from  that  object  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Eustis  and  a  few 
light  gun-barges,  between  whom  and  the  enemy  a  cannonade 
was  kept  up,  without  effect  on  either  side.  But  Major  Forsythe, 
who  was  in  vvlacomb's  rear,  having  landed  his  riflemen,  and  ad- 
vanced upon  the  enemy,  three  pieces  were  precipitately  carried 
away.    About  six  miles  below  the  town  of  Hamilton,  the  flotilla 

came  to,  and  the  general  received  intelligence  of  Colonel  Ma 
u 


I 


„■,{ 


i! 


f  , 


i:¥l 


f 

|i  1 


I- 

'      '■ 

■■-    1 

!;': 

r'l 

1- 

■■J;. 

230 


DESCENT    OF    THE    ST,     LAWRENCE. 


GnnerBl  Mncomb. 


comb's  having  routed  the  enemy  at  a  block-house,  two  miles 
lower.  The  dragoons,  which  were  attached  to  the  first  division 
of  the  army,  had  by  this  time  assembled  at  a  place  called  the 
White  House,  situated  at  a  contraction  of  the  river.  On. the 
morning  of  the  8th  the  flotilla  proceeded  to  this  point,  and  aftei 
having  ordered  General  Brown  to  go  forward  with  his  brigade,  to 
reinforce  Colonel  Macomb,  and  to  take  command  of  the  advance 
of  the  army,  General  Wilkinson  directed  the  tiansportation  of 
the  dragoons  across  the  St.  Lawrence.  This  business  was  com- 
pleted in  the  course  of  the  night. 

Not  long  after  the  descent  of  this  river  was  commenced  by 
the  American  army,  the  British  troops,  who  had  been  concen- 
trated in  the  vicinity  of  Kingston,  having  discovered  that  that 
post  was  not  the  object  of  the  expedition,  immediately  proceeded 
to  Prescott.  The  day  following  that  on  which  the  AmericaLS 
had  passed  this  village,  the  British  commandant  sent  a  flag  over 
to  Ogdensburg,  with  a  demand  for  the  delivery  of  all  the  public 
property  there,  under  the  penalty  of  the  immediate  destruction 
of  the  town.  Without  waiting,  however,  for  a  compliance  with 
this  demand,  the  enemy  embarked  about  fifteen  hundred  troops, 
end  followed  General  Wilkinson's  descent,  with  an  intention  of 
annoying  his  rear.     On  the  9th  they  had  so  far  gained  apon  it, 


DESCENT    OF    THE    ST.    LAWRENCE. 


231 


as  to  bring  on  a  skirmish  between  the  American  riflemen  and  a 
party  of  British  militia  and  Indians.  After  having  killed  one 
man,  the  enemy  were  completely  repulsed. 

N  the  course  of  this  day,  the  cavalry, 
with  four  pieces  of  artillery,  under 
Captain  McPherson,  were  attached  to 
the  command  of  General  Brown,  who 
was  ordered  to  clear  the  coast  below, 
as  far  as  the  head  of  the  "Longue 
Saut."  After  being  obliged  to  halt 
several  hours,  by  the  rapidity  of  the 
current,  to  enable  General  Brown  to 
make  good  his  march,  in  time  to  cover  the  movements  of  the 
flotilla,  General  Wilkinson  arrived  at  a  point  called  the  Yellow 
House,  which  stands  near  the  saut. 

On  the  morning  of  the  10th  he  ordered  General  Brown  to 
prosecute  his  march  with  all  the  troops  under  his  command, 
except  two  pieces  of  artillery  and  the  2d  dragoons.  A  regard 
for  the  safety  of  the  men,  induced  the  commanding  general  to 
march  as  many  of  them  as  possible,  as  the  passage  of  the  Longue 
Saut  would  be  long  and  dangerous.  This  regiment,  therefore, 
as  well  as  all  the  men  of  the  other  brigades,  with  the  reservation 
of  a  proper  number  to  navigate  the  boats,  were  assigned  to 
General  Boyd,  who  was  ordered  to  take  necessary  precautions 
to  prevent  the  enemy,  hanging  on  the  rear,  from  making  an 
advantageous  attack ;  and  if  attacked,  to  turn  upon,  and  if  pos- 
sible to  beat  them. 

General  Brown,  in  obedience  to  these  orders,  marched  with 
the  advance,  then  consisting  of  about  eighteen  hundred  men,  and 
composed  principally  of  Colonel  Macomb's  artillery,  some  com- 
panies of  Colonel  Scott's  regiment,  part  of  the  light  artillery,  the 
riflemen,  and  the  6th,  15th,  and  22d  regiments.  At  a  block- 
house near  the  saut,  which  had  been  erected  to  harass  the  flotilla 
in  its  descent,  he  was  engaged  by  a  strong  party  of  the  enemy, 
with  whom  he  contended  for  a  few  minutes,  and  at  length  com- 
pelled them  to  retire.  This  repulse  was  effected  entirely  by 
Major  Forsythe,  who  was  severely  wounded  in  the  engagement. 
General  Brown  then  took  a  position  near  the  foot  of  the  i>uut 


k 

ili! 


"s 


n 


232 


BATTLE    OF    CHRYSTLER's    FIELD. 


'■?■    . 


At  the  same  time  a  number  of  British  galleys  and  gun-boats 
approached  the  flotilla,  now  at  the  shore,  and  commenced  a 
cannonade.  The  galley  mounted  a  long  twenty-four-pounder 
which  materially  injured  the  American  barges  and  it  became 
necessary  to  run  two  eighteen-pounders  on  shore,  and  form  a 
battery  to  resist  the  enemy's  attack.  One  shot  from  this  battery 
obliged  the  British  to  retire  up  the  river;  and  it  being  then  too 
late  to  trust  the  flotilla  to  the  saut,  the  current  in  which  allows 
no  chance  to  land,  or  to  pursue  any  other  than  its  own  course, 
the  barges  lay  too  until  the  morning  of  the  11th. 

At  ten  o'clock  on  that  day  the  flotilla  was  prepared  to  sail; 
and  the  division  under  General  Boyd,  consisting  of  his  own  and 
Generals  Covington  and  Swartwout's  brigades,  was  already 
formed  in  marching  order,  when  an  alarm  was  heard  from  the 
gun-boats,  and  the  commanding  general  was  apprized  that  the 
enemy  were  advancing  in  column.  The  increasing  indisposition 
of  General  Wilkinson  rendered  him  incapable  of  taking  the 
field;  General  Lewis  having  declined  the  command  in  conse 
quence  of  being  ill  also,  General  Boyd  was  ordered  to  turn  upon 
and  attack  the  British  force.  The  enemy's  gun-boats  were 
advancing  at  the  same  time,  with  a  view  to  attack  the  fear 
of  the  flotilla  as  soon  as  it  should  move  ofl;  The  officers 
having  it  in  charge  were  therefore  directed  not  to  leave  the 
shore.  General  Boyd  advanced  upon  the  enemy,  with  his 
detachment  formed  in  three  columns,  and  forwarded  a  body  of 
General  Swartwout's  brigade,  consisting  of  the  21st  regiment, 
to  meet  and  bring  the  enemy  to  action.  Colonel  Ripley,  with 
this  regiment,  ranged  through  the  woods,  which  in  a  semicircle 
skirted  Chrystler's  fields,  and  drove  in  several  parties  of  the 
skirmishers.  Upon  entering  the  open  field,  he  discovered  the 
British  advance,  consisting  of  the  49th  and  Glengary  regiments, 
With  these  he  immediately  commenced  an  action,  in  which  he 
tMice  charged  these  united  regiments,  either  of  which  being 
more  than  equal  to  the  21st,  and  drove  them  over  the  ravines 
and  fences  by  which  Chrystler's  field  was  intersected,  when  they 
fell  upon  their  main  body. 

Meanwhile  General  Covington  had  advanced  upon  the  enemy's 
nght,  where  his  artillery  had  been  planted,  and  at  the  moment 


BATTLE    OF    CHRYSTLER's    FIELD. 


233 


'    ,  General  Ripley. 

when  the  21st  assailed  the  British  left  flank,  this  brigade  forced 
the  right  by  a  vigorous  onset,  and  the  result  of  the  action  was  now 
looked  to  with  great  certainty.  The  gallant  conduct  of  General 
Covington  attracted  the  attention  of  a  party  of  sharp  shooters 
stationed  in  Chrystler's  house,  one  of  whom  levelled  his  piece, 
and  shot  him  from  his  horse.  The  wound  proved  to  be  mortal, 
and  in  two  days  after  the  general  died.  The  fall  of  their  com- 
mander threw  that  brigade  into  confusion,  and  it  very  soon  broke 
before  the  enemy's  artillery,  and,  together  with  the  16th,  took 
shelter  behind  the  21st,  which  was  still  engaged  with  the  British 
left  and  centre.  Four  pieces  of  artillery  had  been  planted  to  en 
filade  the  enemy's  right,  but  out  of  reach  of  support ;  and  when 
Covington's  brigade  fell  back,  the  British  commander  wheeled 
part  of  his  line  into  column  to  attack  and  capture  them. 

A  body  of  dragoons,  under  the  Adjutant-General  Walbach, 
attempted,  in  a  very  gallant  manner,  to  charge  the  British  column, 
but  the  nature  of  the  ground  prevented  its  being  checked,  and  the 
intervention  of  the  21st  between  the  cannon  and  the  enemy  alone 
retarded  his  advance.  The  British  then  fell  back  with  much 
precipitation.  The  25th,  which  had  been  disordered,  was  at  this 
lime  in  a  ravine ;  and  rn.  all  parts  of  the  field  skirmishes  and  de 
tached  battles  were  kept  up  with  various  success.    The  21st 


173 


80 


I 


234 


RESULTS    OF    THE    BATTLE. 


being  out  of  ammunition,  was  withdrawn  from  the  exposed  posi- 
tions  of  the  ground,  and  a  second  attempt  was  soon  after  made 
upon  the  cannon.  The  death  of  Lieutenant  William  W.  Smith 
of  the  light  artillery,  who  commanded  one  piece,  enabled  the 
enemy  to  capture  the  only  trophy  they  obtained.  The  coolness 
and  bravery  of  Captain  Armstrong  Irvine,  saved  the  remaining 
pieces,  which  he  brought  off  the  field.  The  action  immediately 
after  ceased.  It  had  been  fought  with  distinguished  gallantry  by 
about  seventeen  hundred  undisciplined  men,  against  the  same 
number  of  British  veterans,  and  its  duration  was  upwards  of  two 
hours.  The  enemy's  force  consisted  of  detachments  from  the 
49th,  84th,  104th,  the  voltigeurs,  and  the  Glengary  regiment. 
These  retired  to  their  encampment,  and  the  Americans  to  their 
boats. 

The  American  loss  on  this  occasion  amounted  to  three  hundred 
and  thirty  nine.  One  hundred  and  two  of  whom  were  killed. 
Among  tbes3  were  Lieutenants  Smith,  Hunter,  and  Olmstead. 
The  loss  ixi  wounded  was  swelled  by  the  rank  and  worth  of  'he 
officers  OP  that  list.  General  Covington,  Colonel  Preston,  Majors 
Chambers,  Noon,  and  Cummings ;  Captains  Foster  and  Town- 
send,  of  the  9th;  Myers  and  Campbell,  of  the  13th;  Murdoch,  of 
the  25tb  ;  and  Lieutenants  Heaton,  of  the  11th;  Williams,  of  the 
13th ;  Lynch,  of  the  14th ;  Pelham,  of  the  21st;  and  Brown  and 
Crary,  of  the  25th,  were  the  officers  composing  it. 

In  Miis  battle  the  victory  was  claimed  on  both  sides.  An  im- 
partial examination  of  the  result,  however,  will  either  lead  to  the 
conclusion  that  it  was  a  drawn  battle,  or  that  if  any  advantages 
occurred  to  either  party,  they  were  decidedly  gained  by  the 
Americans.  The  front  of  the  enemy  had  been  forced  back  more 
than  a  mile  in  the  early  part  of  the  action,  and  it  never  regained 
the  ground  thus  lost.  To  use  the  words  of  the  American  gene- 
ral, his  views  and  those  of  the  British  commander  "  were  precisely 
opposed.  The  first  being  bound  by  the  instructions  of  his  govern- 
ment, and  the  most  solemn  obligations  of  duty,  to  precipitate  his 
descent  of  the  St.  Lawrence  by  every  practicable  means ;  and  the 
last,  by  equally  imperative  duties,  to  retard,  and  if  possible,  to  pre- 
vent such  descent.  If  then,  he  (the  British  commander)  found 
himself  victorious  on  this  day,  it  was  certainly  in  his  power  to 


:i  ■ 


COUNCIL    OF    WAR. 


235 


Oenaral  WttkiaaoB. 

\ 

have  effected  the  one  or  the  other  object,  and  as  he  made  no  at- 
tempt to  effect  either,  it  follows  incontestibly,  that  he  had  no  fair 
ground  on  which  to  claim  a  victory."  So  far  from  obstructing 
the  further  descent  of  the  river,  the  enemy  never  again  assailed 
the  column  upon  land,  or  the  barges  of  the  flotilla.  Early  on  the 
morning  of  the  11th  the  army  proceeded  on  its  route,  and  reached 
Bamhart,  near  Cornwall,  where  it  rejoined  the  advance.  At  this 
place  General  Wilkinson  received  a  letter  from  General  Hamp- 
ton, in  which  he  declined  a  meeting  at  St.  Regis,  the  place  named 
in  the  orders  which  had  been  sent  to  him  on  the  6th,  and  in- 
formed the  commander-in-chief  that  he  intended  to  march  to 
Lake  Champlain,  and  thence  to  co-operate  in  the  attack  upon 
Montreal.  General  Wilkinson  immediately  concluded  that  it 
would  be  dseless  to  prosecute  his  route  to  Montreal  any  further, 
and  that  every  prospect  of  a  desirable  termination  to  the  campaign 

was  destroyed.    He  therefore  summoned  together  the  principal 

80 


,  V 


11 


DVd'JlJ'oi'!!! 


'.■ill'?  ■  ■ ' ' 


■■^t:' 


'  ''"'IHHI^I^^'' 

'■'&'- 

■^SP^w??'^'^- 

■'il-'-', 

i.:,..|iS^.:i...:  .  , 

;   rgst: 

1-  ■  .^:(; 

^;  Jij  ^ 

:;\';:;^!.-._  ^•'  . 

;i  ■9^'' 

-,■■.■    ■  - 1 

!"'|i 

:.$  ^ 

"W'  ■ 

i:l. 

;M||.g 

236 


Wilkinson's  order. 


officers  of  that  division  of  the  army  with  which  he  was  aclino, 
who  determined  that  the  receipt  of  this  despatch  rendered  it  ex. 
pedient  that  the  army  should  quit  the  Canadian  side  of  the  St, 
Lawrence  and  go  into  winter  quarters  at  French  Mills,  on  Salmon 
river,  which  it  accordingly  did  on  the  13th  instant.  After  having 
surmounted  many  perilous  difficulties  in  the  descent  of  a  river 
crowded  with  various  obstructions,  the  further  prosecution  of  its 
passage  was  entirely  abandoned  by  the  united  determination  of 
the  commander-in-chief  and  his  council  of  war. 

Whether  the  refusal,  on  the  side  of  General  Hampton,  to  form 
a  junction  with  General  Wilkinson  at  the  St.  Regis,  instead  of 
adopting  his  own  plan  of  marching  by  Champlain  and  Cogna- 
wago,  should  have  prevented  the  prosecution  of  the  campaign  to 
Its  original  object,  does  not  come  within  the  province  of  these 
sketches  to  discuss.  It  is  the  business  of  the  wnter  of  them  to 
be  studiously  impartial ;  and  he  does  not  hesitate  to  acknowledge 
his  belief,  that  many  circumstances  are  yet  to  transpire  before 
the  public  opinion  can  be  regulated.  The  order  of  the  command- 
er-in-chief, and  the  answer  to  that  order,  are  the  only  papers 
which  can,  at  this  early  day,  be  procured  ;  and  the  reader  has  an 
opportunity  of  making  up  his  own.  judgment  from  them.* 


*  Head-Quahters  op  thr  Army,  Dirtriot  No.  9,  seven  miler  above  OonENSBURo, 

N(/v.  6th,  1813,  in  the  evening. 

Sir  : — I  address  you  m  thft  spocial  instance  of  tlie  secretary  of  war,  who,  by  l>ad  roads, 
worse  weather,  and  ill  h«aUn,  was  diverted  from  meeting  me  at  this  place,  and  deter- 
mined to  tread  hack  his  steps  to  Washington  from  Antwerp,  on  the  29th  ultimo. 

I  am  destined  to,  and  neifrminod  on,  the  attack  of  Montreal,  if  not  prevented  by  some 
act  of  God  ;  and  to  give  security  to  the  enterprise,  the  division  under  your  command 
must  co-operate  with  the  corps  under  my  immediate  orders.  The  point  of  rendezvous  is 
the  circumstance  of  greatest  interest  to  the  issue  of  this  operation,  and  tlie  distance 
which  separates  us,  and  my  ignorance  of  the  practicability  of  the  direct  or  devious  roadd 
or  routes  on  which  you  must  march,  make  it  necessary  that  your  own  judgment  shciM 
determine  that  point.  To  assist  you  in  forming  the  soundest  determination,  and  to  take 
the  most  prompt  ami  eflT'n'tual  moisures,  I  can  only  inform  you  of  my  intentions  and 
situation  in  one  or  two  respects  of  first  importance.  I  shall  pass  Prescott  to  night,  be- 
cause the  stage  of  tiie  season  will  not  allow  me  three  days  to  take  it;  shall  cross  the 
cavalry  at  Hamilton,  which  will  not  require  a  day,  and  shall  then  press  forward,  and 
break  down  every  obstruction  to  the  confluence  of  this  river,  with  Grand  river,  there  to 
cross  to  the  isle  Perrot,  and  with  my  scows,  to  bridge  the  narrow  inner  channel,  and 
thus  obtain  foothold  on  Montreal  island,  at  about  twenty  miles  from  the  city ;  aftei 
which  our  artillnry,  bayonets,  and  swords,  must  secure  our  triumph,  or  provide  us  ho 
nourable  graves.    Inclosed  you  have  a  memorandum  of  my  field  and  battering  tram 


GENERAL  HAMPTON's  ANSWER. 


237 


Whilst  General  Wilkinson  was  engaged  in  concentrating  the 
le'>  division  of  the  army  at  Grenadier  island,  preparatory  to  the 

pretty  well  found  in  fixed  ammunition,  which  may  enable  you  to  dismiss  your  own;  bu 
«e  are  deficient  in  loose  powder  and  musket  cartridges,  an''  .creforo  hope  you  may  be 
abundantly  found.  On  the  subject  of  provisions,  I  wish  I  could  give  as  favourable  in- 
formation ;  our  whole  stock  of  bread  may  be  computed  at  about  fifteen  days,  our  meat  at 
twenty.  In  speaking  on  this  subject  to  the  secretary  of  war,  he  informed  me  that  ample 
magazines  were  laid  up  on  Lake  Champlain;  and  therefore  I  must  request  you  to  order 
forward  two  or  three  months  supplies,  by  the  safest  route,  in  a  direction  to  the  proposed 
scene  of  action.  I  have  submitted  the  state  of  our  provisions  to  my  general  officvn, 
who  unanimously  agree,  that  it  should  not  prevent  the  progress  of  the  expedition ;  and 
they  also  agree  in  opinion,  that  if  you  are  not  in  force  to  face  the  enemy,  you  shoi  Id 
meet  us  at  St.  Regis,  or  its  vicinity. 
I  shall  expect  to  hear  from,  if  not  to  see  you,  at  that  place  on  the  0th  or  10th  inst. 

I  am,  &c. 

JAS.  WILKINSON. 
Major-Geheral  W.  Hampton. 

P,  S.  I  was  preparing  an  express,  which  I  should  have  despatched  to-morrow,  bu# 
for  the  fortunate  call  of  Colonel  King. 

Heap-Quarters,  Four  CoRNKRS,  ) 
Nuv.  8,  1813.  ] 

Sir: — I  had  the  honour  to  receive,  at  a  late  hour  last  evening,  by  Colonel  King,  yout 
communication  of  the  6th,  and  was  deeply  impressed*  with  the  sense  of  responsibility  it 
imposed,  of  deciding  upon  the  means  of  our  co-operation. 

The  idea  suggested  as  the  opinion  of  your  ofiicers,  of  eifecting  the  junction  at  St. 
Regis,  was  most  pleasing,  as  being  the  most  immediate,  until  I  came  to  the  disclosure 
of  the  amount  of  your  supplies  of  provisions.  Colonel  Atkinson  will  explain  the  reasons 
that  would  have  rendered  it  impossible  for  me  to  have  brought  more  than  each  man 
could  have  carried  on  his  back ;  and  when  I  reflected,  that  in  throwing  myself  upon 
your  scanty  means,  I  should  be  weakening  you  in  your  most  vulnerable  point,  I  did  not 
hesitate  to  adopt  the  opinion,  after  consulting  the  general  and  principal  officers,  that  by 
throwing  myself  back  upon  my  main  depot,  where  all  the  means  of  transportation  had 
(rone,  and  falling  upon  the  enemy's  flanks^  and  straining  every  effort  to  open  a  commu- 
nication between  Plattsburg  and  Cognewago,  or  any  other  point  you  may  indicate,  on 
the  St.  Lawrence,  1  should  more  effectually  contribute  to  your  success,  than  by  a  junc- 
tion on  the  St.  Regis. 

The  way  is  in  many  places  blockaded  and  abatised,  and  the  road  impracticable  for 
v:heels  during  winter;  but  by  tlie  employment  of  pack-horses,  if  I  am  not  overpowered, 
1  hope  to  be  able  to  prevent  you  from  starving. 

I  have  ascertained,  and  witnessed,  ^le  plan  of  the  enemy  is,  to  burn  and  consume 
•>very  thing  in  our  advance.  My  troops,  and  other  means  will  be  described  to  you  by 
Colonel  Atkinson.  Besides  their  rawness  and  sickness,  they  have  endured  fatigues 
equal  to  a  winter  campaign,  in  the  late  snows  and  bad  weather,  and  are  sadly  disprited 
and  fallen  off:  but  upon  this  subject  I  must  refer  you  to  Colonel  Atkinson. 

With  these  means  what  can  be  accomplished  by  human  exertion,  I  will  attempt,  witli 
i  mind  devoted  to  the  general  objects  of  the  campaign. 

W.  HAMPTON 

To  Major-General  Wilkinson. 


m 


m 
■I 


i 

:1 

i 

238 


OPERATIONS    OF    GENERAL    HAMPTON. 


V    !      -  .     ■■    ;;  ■ 


i*  .r 


iiii: 

III.' 


■.-t'    .:' 


desce)it  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  General  Hampton  had  determined 
on  moving  the  right  division  from  Champlain  down  the  Chateau- 
gay,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a  situation  from  which  it  could 
with  more  facility  co-operate  in  the  contemplated  movements 
against  Montreal.  On  the  21st  of  October  he  put  his  troops  in 
motion,  having  first  arranged  a  line  of  communication  as  far  up 
the  St.  Lawrence  as  Ogdensburg.  An  extensive  wood,  filled 
with  hewn  timber,  and  covered  with  Indians  and  the  enemy's 
light  troops,  threw  an  impediment  in  the  way  of  the  engineers 
who  were  to  cut  a  road  for  the  passage  of  the  artillery  and  stores. 
General  Izard  had  been  detached  with  the  light  troops  and  one 
regiment  from  the  line,  to  turn  them  in  flank,  and  to  seize  on  the 
open  country  below.  In  this  he  succeeded,  and  the  main  army 
advancing  on  a  circuitous  road,  reached  the  advanced  position  on 
the  evening  of  the  22d. 

At  a  distance  of  seven  miles  from  the  ground  on  which  the 
army  encamped,  was  a  wood  which  had  been  formed  into  an 
abatis,  and  was  filled  with  a  succession  of  breastworks,  the  rear- 
most of  which  was  well  supplied  with  ordnance.  Behind  these 
the  disposable  force  of  the  enemy  was  placed,  in  front  of  them 
the  light  troops  and  Indians.  Sir  George  Prevost  was  supposed 
to  be  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  forces  and  breastworks  thus 
arranged.  It  was  resolved  to  attack  and  dislodge  him.  Colonel 
Purdy,  who  commanded  the  first  brigade,  was  ordered  on  the 
25th  to  ford  the  river,  and  march  down  on  its  opposite  side  until 
he  should  reach  the  enemy's  rear,  where  he  was  to  recross  the 
river  and  attack  him  in  his  breastworks ;  whilst  the  second  bri- 
gade, under  General  Izard,  was  to  assail  him  in  front.  The  fire 
from  one  was  to  be  the  signal  of  attack  for  the  other.  Colonel 
Purdy  accordingly  marched  down  on  the  opposite  bank,  but  had 
not  proceeded  far  when  he  received  a  countermanding  order  fror.i 
General  Hampton,  issued  in  consequence  of  a  communication 
from  the  quartermaster-general's  department,  which  the  general 
deemed  unfavourable  to  the  prosecution  of  his  plan. 

In  attempting  to  return  to  the  place  at  which  he  had  previously 
crossed  the  river.  Colonel  Purdy  was  attacked  by  the  enemy's 
infantry  and  Indians,  who  were  repulsed  after  a  short  contest, 
though  they  had  thrown  the  American  column  into  piirtial  con- 


RETREAT  OF  GENERAL  HAMPTON. 


239 


fusion.  The  British  at  the  same  time  came  out  of  their  works  to 
attack  the  second  brigade  on  the  opposite  side.  They  were  re 
pulsed  at  this  point  also,  and  General  Izard  drove  them  rapidlj 
behind  their  defenses.  The  first  brigade  attempted  the  construe 
tion  of  a  bridge  of  logs,  and  though  it  was  assailed  by  a  consider- 
able force  of  the  British  regulars,  and  received  a  sharp  fire  across 
the  river,  the  bridge  was  completed  and  Colonel  Purdy  recrossed 
his  men.  He  was  again  attacked,  and  several  times  resisted  the 
charges  of  the  enemy.  The  army  commenced  a  retreat  after 
losing  about  fifty  men ;  and  as  General  Hampton  received  an  ac- 
count of  the  enemy's  being  continually  reinforced,  he  resolved, 
on  the  advice  of  a  council,  to  retreat  to  the  Four  Corners.  The 
army  accordingly,  on  the  31st,  returned  to  a  position  which  it 
held  many  days  before.  In  these  various  skirmishes,  Majors 
Snelling  and  Wool  were  particularly  distinguished. 

A  petite  guerre  was  kept  up  on  the  lines  by  Colonel  Clark,  who 
coTPmanded  a  regiment  of  infantry  acting  as  riflemen,  which  had 
already,  on  several  important  occasions,  been  of  great  annoyance 
to  the  enemy.  But  this  incursive  warfare  was  stopped  soon  after 
the  return  of  General  Hampton's  division,  and  all  the  troops 
under  his  command  were  put  into  winter  quarters  in  the  course 
of  the  month  of  November,  and  the  command  resigned  to  Gene- 
ral Izard. 

Not  long  after  the  departure  of  General  Wilkinson  from  Fort 
George,  that  post  fell  successively  to  the  command  of  Colonel 
Scott,  General  Harrison,  and  General  M'Clure  of  the  New  York 
militia ;  under  each  of  whom  ft-equent  skirmishes  took  place.  In 
one  of  these,  Colonel  Wilcocks,  with  the  Canadian  volunteer 
mounted  regiment,  behaved  with  personal  bravery,  and  gave  an 
augury  of  the  services  which  the  American  government  might 
expect  from  this  new  species  of  troops. 

On  the  10th  of  December  it  was  ascertained  that  the  enemy 
had  collected  a  force  of  fifteen  hundred  regulars,  and  at  least  seven 
hundred  Indians,  and  were  proceeding  on  their  marcn  to  Fort 
George,  to  expel  the  Americans  from  the  garrison  and  the  shores. 
The  remnant  of  an  army,  of  which  the  garrison  was  at  that  time 
composed,  rendered  the  post  altogether  untenable,  and  General 
M'Clure  determined  on  destroying  the  town  of  Newark  and  the 


HI 
Ml 


'i 


'l 


i 


f 


•240 


CAPTURE  OF  FORT  NIAGARA. 


mi 


i'l 


i  'i  ■ 


batteries  by  which  it  was  protected,  and  evacuating  Fort  George, 
with  a  view  to  posting  himself  at  Fort  Niagara.  Accordingly, 
having  first  given  the  inhabitants  fiill  notice  of  his  intentions,  he 
put  them  into  execution,  and  crossed  his  force  over  to  the  Ameri- 
can shore.  Newark  was  left  in  flames,  and  the  guns  of  Fort 
George  were  rendered  useless.  The  British  forces  arrived  only 
in  time  to  find  themselves  without  shelter,  and  were  obliged  to 
fall  back  to  Queenstown.  From  this  place  General  M'Clure  at- 
tempted  to  dislodge  them  by  the  batteries  at  Lewistown,  but 
without  effect. 

The  British  commander  became  highly  incensed  at  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  town  of  Newark,  and  secretly  resolved  on  the  confla- 
gration of  Buffalo,  Schlosser,  and  Lewistown,  and  the  capture  of 
Fort  Niagara ;  the  garrison  of  which  they  destined  to  be  put  to 
the  sword.  A  surmise  of  these  intentions  of  the  enemy  induced 
the  American  commander  to  transfer  his  head-quarters  to  Buffalo; 
to  which  place  he  immediately  set  out  to  provide  for  the  protec- 
tion of  its  citizens,  and  called  forth  the  neighbouring  militia  en 
masse. 

Fort  Niagara  was  at  this  time  garrisoned  by  three  huridred 
and  twenty-four  sick  and  effective  men,  and  was  commanded  by 
Captain  Leonard,  of  the  artillery,  who,  notwithstanding  the  noto- 
rious fact  of  the  enemy's  being  within  two  hour's  march  of  the 
fort,  neglected  to  provide  against  an  assault  by  night ;  and  on  the 
evening  of  the  18th  took  up  his  quarters  at  a  farm  two  miles  dis- 
tant from  his  command.  At  four  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the 
x9th,  the  enemy,  four  hundred  in  number,  crossed  the  Niagara 
under  Colonel  Murray,  and  approached  the  principal  gate,  which 
was  then  open.  Accompanied  by  his  Indian  warriors,  he  rushed 
furiously  in  upon  the  garrison,  and  in  a  few  minutes  put  an  end 
to  all  opposition.  The  only  resistance  which*  was  made  he  re- 
ceived froM)  the  guard  in  the  south-east  block-house,  and  the  sick 
who  crawled  out  from  their  beds.  What  officers  were  within  the 
fort,  exhausted  every  means  of  defense  of  which  the  suddenness 
of  the  attack  had  not  deprived  them.  On  entering  the  garrison 
Colonel  Murray  received  a  wound  in  the  arm ;  soon  after  ^^'hich 
he  yielded  the  command  to  Colonel  Hamilton — ^under  whose 
•superintendence  the  women  of  the  garrison  were  stript  of  their 


I  ;■   in 


clothing, 
officers  t] 
tain  Leoi 
nuihber 
escape.  ' 
enemy  b 
In  the  ( 
made  an 
detachme 
sailants  i 
cut  his  w 
retreat, 
and  the 
Whilst  tl 
Malloryb 
guard  at '. 
foot  of  th 
ever,  and 
retreated 
upon,  and 
of  which 
Major  Ms 
eight  mer 
Genera 
militia  at 
and  repai 
miles  fro: 
from  For 
to  that  p 
the  whol( 
arrival  at 
Le  ordere 
example, 
On  the 
Black  R( 
Before  th 
by  Colon 
ciphned 


BURNING  OF   LEWISTOWN. 


243 


clothing,  and  many  of  them  killed,  and  the  persons  of  the  dead 
officers  treated  with  shocking  indignity.  In  the  mean  time  Cap- 
tain Leonard  arrived  and  was  made  prisoner,  and  out  of  the  whole 
number  of  troops  in  the  garrison,  twenty  only  effected  their 
escape.  The  British  flag  was  immediately  after  unfurled,  and  the 
enemy  had  the  entire  command  of  the  entrance  to  the  Niagara. 

In  the  course  of  the  same  morning  about  seven  hundred  Indians 
made  an  attack  upon  Lewistown,  which  was  defended  by  a  small 
detachment  of  militia  under  Major  Bennett,  who  resisted  the  as- 
sailants until  he  was  entirely  surrounded,  and  then  desperately 
cut  his  way  through  with  the  loss  of  eight  men,  and  effected  his 
retreat.  This  village,  and  those  of  Young's  town,  Manchester, 
and  the  Indian  Tuscarora,  were  speedily  reduced  to  ashes. — 
Whilst  the  Indians  were  engaged  in  firing  Lewistown,  Major 
Mallory  boldly  advanced  from  Schlosser,  and  attacked  their  outer 
guard  at  Lewistown  heights,  and  compelled  it  to  fall  back  to  the 
foot  of  the  mountain.  The  Indians  were  soon  reinforced  how- 
ever, and  the  gallant  Mallory  was  in  turn  obliged  to  retire.  He 
retreated  gradually  to  Tantawanty  creek,  occasionally  turning 
upon,  and  fighting  their  advance  guard,  for  two  days,  at  the  end 
of  which  time  the  Indians  gave  up  the  pursuit.  In  these  affairs 
Major  Mallory  lost  Lieutenant  Lowe,  of  the  23d  infantry,  and 
eight  men. 

General  M'Clure  having  collected  nearly  three  thousand 
militia  at  Buffalo,  left  them  under  command  of  General  Hall, 
and  repaired  himself  to  the  village  of  Batavia,  about  twenty-eight 
miles  from  Buffalo,  to  provide  for  its  protection  against  a  sally 
from  Fort  Niagara.  He  had  previously  sent  Lieutenant  Riddle 
to  that  place,  with  all  the  regulars  in  the  vicinity,  amounting  in 
the  whole  to  eighty  men,  to  secure  the  public  arsenal.  On  his 
arrival  at  Batavia,  after  having  organized  a  body  of  militia  there, 
he  ordered  the  regtilars  back  to  Buffalo,  to  encourage,  by  their 
example,  the  undisciplined  troops  of  his  division. 

On  the  30th  the  British  landed  six  hundred  and  fifty  men  at 
Black  Rock,  and  immediately  proceeded  to  the  village  of  Buffalo. 
Before  they  reached  it,  however,  they  were  obstinately  opposed 
by  Colonel  Bleeksly  and  two  or  three  hundred  raw  and  undis- 
ciplined militia.  General  Hall  had  fallen  back  about  three  miles 


!  :! 


if 


*rii 


244 


BURNING    OF    LEWIS  TOWN. 


ri:'    i 


from  Buffalo,  when  his  force  was  met  by  Lieutenant  Riddle  and 
his  regulars.  The  British  had  already  entered  the  village,  and 
the  militia  fled  with  the  greatest  precipitation.  Riddle  offered 
to  march  with  his  regulars  in  front,  and  thus  to  excite  the 
timid  militia  to  repulse  the  enemy,  and  drive  him  from  the 
village.  But  the  general,  yielding  to  the  unwillingness  of  his 
men,  declined  the  proposal  of  the  regular  officer,  who  thereupon 
rode  towards  the  village,  to  reconnoiter.  He  advanced  within 
half  a  mile  of  its  suburbs,  and  seeing  that  with  a  handful  of 
spirited  men,  he  could  himself  save  the  place  from  destruction, 
he  returned  to  General  Hall,  and  entreated  him  to  place  two 
hundred  men  under  his  command,  with  whom  he  promised  at 
least  to  rescue  the  women  and  children,  who  would  otherwise 
be  sacrificed  by  the  Indians,  if  not  to  drive  out  the  enemy. 
General  Hall  was  of  opinion  that  this  plan  was  impracticable. 
Lieutenant  Riddle,  therefore,  was  prevented  from  attempting  it. 
By  the  exertion  of  Major  Staunton  and  Major  Norton,  each  of 
whom  belonged  to  the  village,  about  two  hundred  men  were 
collected,  and  expressed  their  willingness  to  combat  the  British 
and  Indians.  These  were  advised  that  it  was  in  vain  to  attack 
their  enemy,  and  this  advice  was  sanctioned  by  the  general.  At 
length,  having  become  quite  indignant  at  the*  timidity  of  the 
militia.  Lieutenant  Riddle  took  upon  hiruself  tliC  responsibility 
of  going  forward  with  his  own  men,  and  of  rescuing  as  much 
public  property  as  they  could  bear  away.  He  entered  the  upper 
part  of  the  village,  where  he  was  informed  by  a  citizen,  that 
Colonel  Chapin,  who  had,  long  before  the  flight  of  the  militia,  been 
ordered  to  take  post  at  Conejockeda  creek,  had  surrendered  the 
place  to  the  enemy,  under  the  condition  that  they  were  to 
plunder,  but  not  to  burn  it.  The  Indians  were  at  that  moment 
firing  the  houses.  Lieutenant  Riddle,  with  thirty  men,  th^u 
took  from  the  arsenal,  which  had  not  been  discovered  by  the 
enemy,  about  three  hundred  stand  of  arms,  and  some  other 
public  property,  and  having  made  two  Indian  prisoners,  returned 
to  the  position  occupied  by  General  Hall. 

On  the  following  day,  January  1st,  (1814,)  a  small  party  of 
dragoons  v/cre  ordered  in  advance  of  the  whole  militia,  which 
General  Hall  marched  to  the  vicinity  of  the  village,  in  order  to 


ADVENTURE    OF    RIDDLE    AND    TOTMAN. 


246 


make  a  show  of  force.     Captain  Stone,  who  commanded  the 
advancn,  accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Riddle,  Lieutenant  Tot- 
man,  of  the  Canadian  volunteers,  and  Lieutenant  Frazer,  of  the 
loth  regiment,  infantry,  made  several  prisoners  on  the  margin 
of  the  village,  and  having  delivered  them  to  the  general,  the 
latter  immediately  ordered  his  whole  force  to  retire,  and  called 
in  the  advance  for  that  purpose.     Riddle  and  Totman,  not 
knowing  that  the  dragoons  had  fallen  back,  were  left  in  the  near 
neighbourhood  of  the  enemy,  and  upon  being  discovered  by  a 
squadron  of  the  British  horse,  they  immediately  put  s})urs  to 
their  own,  and  attempted  to  escape  toward  the  rendezvous  of 
(reneral  Hall's  brigade.     They  very  soon  outstripped  their  pur- 
suers, and  were  congratulating  themselves  upon  their  supposed 
escape,  when  another  squadron  of  the  enemy  were  perceived 
coming  out  of  the  road  leading  from  Black  Rock,  and  directing 
their  course  for  Buffalo,  between  which  and  that  road  Riddle 
and  Totman  ther.   vere.     Thus  hemmed  in  on  a  narrow  high- 
wa}',  with  a  sui       >     enemy  in  front  and  in  the  rear,  they 
saw  no  probable  ^  .\.cjpect  of  escaping,  and  would  have  given 
themselves  up,  but  for  the  treatment  which  other  prisoners  on 
tlie  Niagara  had  recently  received,  and  the  practice,  which  had 
about  this  time  commenced,  of  making  hostages.    No  alternative 
seemed  to  present  itself,  but  that  of  cutting  their  way  through 
the  party  in  their  front ;  and  on  this  they  mutually  resolved. 
On  their  attempting  to  dash  through,  with  violent  impetuosity, 
the  whole  party  discharged  their  pistols  at  them,  one  only  of 
which  took  effect,  and  the  unfortunate  Totman  fell  from  his  horse. 
Riddle  cut  through  with  his  sword,  and  having  gained  their 
rear,  pushed  his  horse  through  a  narrow  lane  on  the  left,  and 
rode  into  a  thick  swamp,  terminated  by  a  forest.     Through  this 
the  enemy  did  not  choose  to  follow  him,  and  he  arrived  at  the 
head-quarters  of  the  general  on  the  same  day,  without  having 
met  v;ith  other  obstacles. 

In  a  few  days  after,  the  British  evacuated  all  the  positions 
they  had  captured  except  Fort  Niagara.  This  they  put  in  a 
better  state  of  defense,  and  from  it  they  made  frequent  incur- 
sions, which  were  ever  attended  by  acts  of  violence  upon  th»i 

neighbouring  inhabitants. 
xa 


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246 


RESULTS    OF    THE    CAMPAIGN. 


The  campaign  of  1813,  in  the  north,  was  now  drawn  to  its 
final  close ;  and  though  a  high  degree  of  fulgency  was  thrown 
around  the  American  arms,  no  one  advantage  was  obtained  to 
atone  for  the  blood  and  treasure  which  had  already  been  ex- 
hausted. The  capital  of  Upper  Canada  had  been  taken.  It  was 
scarcely  captured  before  it  was  abandoned.  The  bulwark  of  the 
province,  Fort  George,  had  been  gallantly  carried ;  but  an  infe- 
rior  foe  was  suffered  to  escape,  after  being  beaten,  and  the  con- 
querors  were  soon  after  confined  to  the  works  of  the  garrison, 
and  closely  invested  upwards  of  six  months.  The  long  contem- 
plated attack  upon  Montreal  was  frustrated ;  Kingston  still  re- 
mained a  safe  and  advantageous  harbour  in  the  hands  of  the 
enemy ;  and  a  fortress,  which  might  have  been  long  and  obsti- 
nately, and  effectually  defended,  was  yielded  with  scarcely  a 
struggle,  and  under  circumstances  mysterious  in  the  extreme,  to 
the  retaliating  invaders  of  the  American  Niagara  frontier.  In 
the  course  of  the  summer  of  1813,  the  American  army  po.ssessed 
every  position  between  Lake  Ontario  and  Lake  Erie,  on  both 
sides  of  the  Niagara.  In  the  winter  of  the  same  year,  after  hav- 
ing gradually  lost  their  possessions  on  the  British  side  of  the 
stream,  they  were  deprived  of  their  possessions  on  their  own. 
Another  day  may  bring  forward  a  developement  of  the  causes 
which  led  to  such  unfavourable  results ;  and  posterity  will  be 
much  better  enabled  to  throw  the  censure  on  the  proper  officers 
than  those  who  are  their  contemporaries. 


HOANET  CHAILENGES  THE  BONNE  CITO  YE  NNE.  84" 


CHAPTER   XIII. 


(Somnitiieemettt  of  tfpc  17at?al  ^^ampaign  of 


-^ 


HE  United  States  sloop  of  war 
Hornet,  having  challenged  to  a 
combat  the  sloop  of  war  Bmne 
Citoyenne,  Captain  Green,  who 
declined  an  acceptance  of  the  in- 
J  vitation,  she  was  left  before  the 
port  of  St.  Salvador,  by  Commo- 
dore Bainbridge,  with  orders  to 
blockade  the  enemy's  vessel  of 
war,  containing  upwards  of  half 
a  million  of  dollars,  and  two 
armed  British  merchantmen,  then 
lying  in  that  harbour.  This 
blockade  was  vigilantly  kept  up 
until  the  24th  of  January,  1813, 
on  which  day  the  Montague  seven- 
ty-four, hove  in  sight,  and  chased  the  Hornet  into  the  harbour, 
whence,  however,  she  escaped  in  the  night.  Captain  Lawrence, 
who  still  commanded  her,  then  shifted  his  cruising  ground ;  and 
after  having  captured  a  vessel  of  ten  guns,  laden  with  specie, 


m 


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P 


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1 

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248 


HORNET   AND    PEACOCK. 


and  having  run  down  the  coast  for  Maranham,  thence  off  Sur- 
rinam,  and  thence  for  Demarara,  outside  of  the  bar  of  the  river 
leading  to  which  place,  and  with  the  fort  bearing  south-west, 
about  two  and  a  half  leagues  distant  from  him,  he  discovered 
a  man-of-war  brig,  which  he  immediately  attempted  to  near,  by 
beating  round  the  Carabana  bank.  In  making  this  effort,  a 
focond  sail,  of  equal  size  to  the  other,  was  also  discovered,  at 
about  half  past  three,  p.  m.  At  twenty  minutes  past  four,  the 
strange  sail,  the  British  sloop  of  war  Peac>ock,  Captain  Peake, 
of  eighteen  guns,  and  one  twelve-pounder  carronade,  a  shifting 
gun,  showed  the  English  flag,  and  the  Hornet  wis  immediately 
cleared  for  action,  and  Captain  Lawrence  made  every  attempt 
to  get  the  weather-gage.  The  Peacock  was  edging  down  fast. 
All  the  efforts  of  the  Hornet  to  weather  her  proved  fruitless,  and 
at  twenty-five  minutes  past  five,  the  American  ensign  being  then 
up,  in  passing  each  other  the  two  vessels  exchanged  broadsides, 
within  half  pistol-shot  The  effect  of  this  fire  on  board  the 
enemy's  vessel  was  extremely  severe ;  on  board  the  Hornet  no 
loss  whatever  was  sustained.  The  Peacock,  being  then  disco- 
vered in  the  act  of  wearing,  Captain  Lawrence  bore  up,  received 
her  starboard  broadside,  run  her  close  on  board  on  the  starboard 
quarter,  and  poured  into  her  so  heavy,  constant,  and  well-di- 
rected a  fire,  that  in  fifteen  minutes  she  surrendered,  with  her 
hull  and  rigging  totally  cut  to  pieces.  At  the  moment  of  her 
surrender,  she  hoisted  a  signal  of  distress,  and  in  the  next  mo- 
ment her  mainmast  went  by  the  board. 

Lieutenant  Shubrick,  whose  gallantry  on  this  occasion  was 
not  less  conspicuous  than  in  the  actions  with  the  Guerriere  and 
Java,  in  each  of  which  he  gave  unequivocal  proofs  as  well  of  his 
humanity  as  of  his  bravery,  was  despatched  to  bring  her  officers 
on  board  the  Hornet.  He  soon  returned  with  her  first  office;, 
and  a  report  that  the  Captain  had  been  killed  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  action,  that  a  great  number  of  her  crew  were  either  killed 
or  wounded,  and  that  she  was  sinking  fast,  having  already  six 
feet  water  in  her  hold.  Both  vessels  were  brought  to  anchor, 
and  all  the  boats  immediately  despatched  to  bring  off  the 
wounded,  and  as  much  of  their  baggage  as  could  be  found.  All 
*he  shot-holes  which  could  be  got  at  were  then  plugged,  the 


m 

1  f 

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!J«"f 


Hu 


4 


99 


ipi 


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jvii- 


m( 


being 


HORNET  AND   PEACOCK. 


251 


(runs  thrown  overboard,  and  every  possible  exertion  used  to  keep 
her  afloat,  by  pumping  and  bailing,  until  the  prisoners  could  be 
removed.  All  efforts  appearing  to  be  entirely  unavailing,  the 
body  of  Captain  Peake  was  inclosed  in  his  own  flag,  and  the 
ship  sunk  in  five  and  a  half  fathom  water,  carrying  down  thir- 
teen of  her  own,  and  three  of  the  Hornet's  crew.  With  the  ut- 
most difficulty,  Acting-Lieutenant  Conner  and  Midshipman 
Cooper,  who  were  superintending  the  removal  of  the  prisoners, 
effected  their  escape,  by  jumping  into  a  boat  which  was  lying 
on  her  booms,  at  the  moment  when  the  Peacock  sunk. 

The  loss  of  the  enemy  amounted  to  thirty-three  in  wounded, 
three  of  whom  afterwards  died.  The  number  of  killed  could  not 
be  ascertained,  but  four  men,  besides  the  captain  were  found  dead 
on  the  Peacock's  deck ;  and  four  men,  in  addition  to  the  thirteen 
who  sunk,  were  drowned.  The  loss  on  board  the  Hornet  was 
one  man  killed,  two  slightly  wounded  in  the  action,  and  two  se- 
verely, by  the  bursting  of  a  cartridge.  Her  hull  was  scarcely 
injured,  though  the  rigging  and  sails  were  cut,  her  foremast 
pierced  through,  and  her  bowsprit  slightly  injured. 

The  officers  and  crew  of  the  Hornet  were  not  behind  those  of 
any  other  ship,  in  emulating  the  example  of  Captain  Hull  and 
nis  brave  companions ;  and  the  course  and  consequence  of  this 
engagement  bore  a  striking  similitude  to  that  with  the  Guerriere 
Acting  Lieutenants  Conner  and  Newton,  and  Midshipmen 
Cooper,  Mayo,  Gets,  Smoot,  Tippet,  Boerum,  and  Titus,  behaved 
with  that  bravery  which  had  now  become  almost  inseparable 
from  the  American  name.  Lieutenant  Stewart,  the  first  officer 
of  the  ship,  was  unfortunately  too  ill  to  keep  the  deck,  and  Cap- 
tain Lawrence  was  therefore  deprived  of  the  services  of  a  meri- 
torious and  valuable  officer. 

'I'his  engagement  took  place  in  view  of  the  ship  of  war  which 
lay  in  Demarara  rivei*,  the  Espeigle ;  and  Captain  Lawrence, 
being  apprehensive  that  she  would  beat  out  to  the  assistance  of 
her  consort,  the  Peacock,  the  greatest  activity  prevailed  on  board 
the  Hornet,  to  repair  damages,  as  soon  as  they  were  sustained, 
and  by  nine  o'clock  all  the  boats  were  stowed,  new  sails  bent,  and 
the  ship  completely  prepared  for  another  action.     The  Espeigle, 

of  equal  force  with  the  Peacock,  did  not  come  out. 

82 


^f 


252 


CRUISE    OF    THE    CHESAPEAKE. 


m 


m^r 


Captain  Lawrence's  crew  had  been  on  two-thirtls  allowancooi 
provisions  for  seveial  days ;  and  the  number  of  souls  now  or; 
board  ^mounting  to  two  hundred  and  seventy,  including  those  ol 
the  merchant  prize,  it  became  necessary  that  she  should  return 
to  the  United  States.  She  shaped  her  course  for  New  York. 
where  she  arrived  about  the  twentieth  of  March.  On  the  passage, 
her  officers  divided  their  clothing  with  the  prisoners,  who  hud  lost 
their  baggage ;  the  crew  of  the  ship  gave  up  each  a  portion  of 
theirs  to  the  crew  of  the  Peacock ;  and  the  private  wardroljo  of 
the  captain,  whose  attentions  to  the  wants  of  those  wlioui  the 
fortune  of  war  had  placed  in  his  hands,  and  whose  exertions  to 
ameliorate  their  condition  were  unceasing,  was  given  up  to  her 
officers.  At  New  York,  Captain  Lawrence  was  received  with 
universal  joy ;  and  his  reception  in  other  cities  was  similar  to 
that  which  had  been  given  to  other  naval  commanders. 

Many  days  had  not  elapsed  after  the  arrival  of  the  Hornet  a) 
New  York,  when  the  United  States  frigate  Chesapeake,  Captain 
Evans,  of  thirty-six  guns,  returned  to  the  harbour  of  Boston,  from 
a  cruise  of  one  hundred  and  fifteen  days.  During  that  time  she 
had  run  down  by  the  Madeiras,  Canaries,  and  Cape  de  Verds, 
and  thence  down  on  the  equator,  where  she  cruised  six  wc(;ks. 
Hence  she  proceeded  down  the  coast  of  South  America,  and 
passed  within  fifteen  leagues  of  Surrinam.  On  the  25th  of  Fe- 
bruary, the  day  after  the  conquest  of  the  Peacock,  she  passed 
over  the  place  at  which  that  vessel  had  been  sunk,  and  thence 
proceeded  down  by  Barbadoes,  Antigua,  and  most  of  the  wind- 
ward islands,  thence  on  the  coast  of  the  United  States,  between 
Bermuda  and  the  capes  of  Virginia,  by  the  capes  of  the  Delaware 
within  twelve  leagues,  by  New  York  within  twenty,  and  thence 
by  the  east  channel  to  Boston,  where  she  terminated  a  cruise,  on 
the  10th  of  April,  marked  by  the  capture  of  four  valuable  mer- 
chantmen, the  chai5e  of  a  British  sloop  of  war,  and  an  escape  fronfi 
two  line  of  battle  ships. 

The  command  of  this  ship  was  then  given  to  Captain  Law- 
rence,  her  late  commander,  Captain  Evans,  having  accepted  the 
command  of  the  New  York  station,  and  directions  were  imme- 
diately given  to  repair  and  re-equip  her  for  another  cruise.  Com- 
modore Rodgers  had  returned  to  that  port  also,  from  a  cruise,  in 


CHESAPEAKE    AND    SHANNON. 


253 


which,  though  he  did  not  capture  any  armed  ship  of  the  enemy, 
he  drew  irom  the  coast  such  of  his  public  vessels  as  were  destined 
to  blockade  the  different  ports,  and  saved  to  the  mercantile  inte- 
rest of  the  country  many  millions  of  dollars.  The  President  and 
Congress  were  at  that  time  the  only  vessels  of  his  squadron.  To 
keep  these  in  port,  the  British  frigates  Shannon  and  Tenedos, 
each  being  of  the  largest  class,  appeared  off"  the  entrance  to  the 
liarbour  of  Boston,  and  sent  in  frequent  reports  of  their  size, 
strength,  and  armament.  Early  in  the  month  of  May,  however. 
Commodore  Rodgers  put  to  sea ;  but  the  British  frigates  avoided 
him  by  sailing  from  the  coast. 

In  the  course  of  that  month  the  Shannon  returned  to  the  mouth 
of  the  harbour,  and  her  commander.  Commodore  Brooke,  sent  in 
a  challenge  to  the  commander  of  the  frigate  Chesapeake.  This 
challenge  was  not  received  by  Captain  Lawrence,  but  his  ship 
being  then  in  readiness,  he  understood  the  menacing  manoe-uvers 
of  the  Shannon  to  be  an  invitation,  and  on  the  1st  of  June,  with 
a  crew  almost  in  a  state  of  mutiny,  and  unacquainted  with  their 
new  captain,  and  without  his  full  complement  of  officers,  his  first 
lieutenant,  Page,  being  sick  on  shore,  he  sailed  out  to  meet,  and 
give  battle  to  the  hostile  ship.  The  Shannon  sailed  from  the 
bay  and  put  to  sea,  the  Chesapeake  following  in  chase,  seven 
miles  astern.  At  half-past  four  the  Shannon  hove  to,  with  her 
head  to  the  southward  and  eastward  ;  and  at  half-past  five,  the 
Chesapeake  hauled  up  her  courses  and  was  closing  fast  with  the 
enemy.  At  fifteen  minutes  before  six  he  commenced  the  action 
by  firing  his  after  guns  on  the  starboard  side,  when  the  Chesa- 
peake gave  him  a  broadside ;  this  was  succeeded  by  a  broadside 
from  the  Shannon,  which  killed  the  sailingmaster,  Mr.  "White, 
and  many  of  the  crew,  and  wounded  Captain  Lawrence;  he  re- 
fused to  quit  the  deck,  however,  and  ordered  a  second  broadside, 
the  return  to  which  wounded  the  captain  a  second  time,  and  killed 
the  fourth  lieutenant,  Ballard,  and  Lieutenant  Broom  of  the 
marines.  The  Chesapeake  then  ranged  ahead  of  the  Shannon, 
when  her  jib  sheet,  the  slings  of  the  foretop-sail  yard,  her  spanker 
brails,  and  her  bowlines  and  braces  being  cut,  she  luffed  into  the 
wind  and  took  aback,  and  fell  with  her  quarter  foul  of  the  Shan- 
non's starboard  anchor.   This  accident  gave  a  decided  advantage 


1 


254 


CHESAPEAKE    AND    SHANNON. 


mi  . 


to  the  enemy,  and  enabled  him  to  rake  the  Chesapeake.  Can 
tain  Lawrence  was  all  this  while  on  deck,  still  persisting  in  his 
refusal  to  go  below,  when,  having  called  for  the  boarders,  he  re 
ceived  a  musket-ball  through  the  body,  and  in  a  languishing  stat*- 
was  carried  down.  At  this  moment  the  ship  was  deprived  of  all 
her  principal  officers ;  the  first  lieutenant,  Augustus  C.  Ludlow, 
had  been  mortally  wounded;  several  of  the  midshipmen  and 
petty  officers,  besides  the  fourth  lieutenant  and  the  commanding 
officer  of  marines,  were  either  killed  or  wounded,  and  the  com- 
mand  of  the  ship  devolved  on  her  third  lieutenant,  Budd.  The 
bravery  anil  seamanship  of  this  officer  being  already  known  to 
the  crew,  some  hope  remained  of  saving  the  ship,  and  of  captur- 
ing the  superior  enemy.  But,  as  Lieutenant  Budd  ascended  the 
spar-deck,  an  arm-chest  on  the  quarter  was  blown  up  by  a  hand 
grenade  thrown  from  the  Shannon's  tops.  The  boarders  very 
soon  followed  Lieutenant  Budd,  but  before  they  reached  the  deck, 
Captain  Brooke  had  determined  that  the  Chesapeake  could  only 
be  carried  by  boarding,  and  having  already  so  many  shot  between 
wind  and  water  in  his  own  ship,  that  he  became  apprehensive  of 
her  sinking,  he  threw  his  marines  on  the  Chesapeake's  quarter- 
deck, and  headed  them  himself.  Lieutenant  Budd  immediately 
gave  orders  to  haul  on  board  the  fore-tack,  for  the  purpose  of 
shooting  the  ship  clear  of  the  Shannon,  and  of  attempting  the 
capture  of  Captain  Brooke,  who  had  then  two  hundred  of  his 
crew  on  board  the  Chesapeake.  On  this  effort  the  fate  of  the 
ship  depended,  and  most  of  the  American  crew,  mindful  of  the 
dying  words  of  their  gallant  commander,  whose  injunction  on 
4hem  was  " Don^t  give  up  the  ship"  several  times  attempted  to 
succeed  in  it;  but  the  boatswain  having  mutinied,  and  persuaded 
many  of  the  men,  who  were  dissatisfied  at  not  having  received 
their  prize  money  of  the  last  cruise,  to  join  him  below ;  the  few 
who  remained  firm  to  their  duty  were  soon  overpowered ;  ctnd 
Lieutenant  Budd  being  wounded  and  thrown  down  to  the  gun- 
deck  in  attempting  to  gain  the  quarter,  the  scheme  entirely  failed, 
and  the  enemy  gained  complete  possession  of  the  upper  deck.  A 
great  proportion  of  the  crew,  who  had  escaped  a  wound,  never- 
theless continued  fighting ;  and  Captain  Brooke,  as  he  was  cross- 
ing the  ship,  was  shot  through  the  neck  by  the  Chesapeake's 


CHESAPEAKE    AND    SHANNON. 


255 


chaplain,  Livermore,  whom  he  instantly  cut  down ;  but  he,  almost 
as  soon,  received  a  wound  in  the  head,  and  was  then  transferred 
to  his  own  ship.  The  enemy's  crew  were  now  commanded  by 
Lieutenant  Watt,  who  stabbed  and  cut  down  the  wounded  and 
vanquished  without  regard  to  their  cries  of  surrender.  He  was 
killed  on  the  Chesapeake's  deck,  according  to  one  account,  by  one 
of  the  Shannon's  sailors,  as  he  was  placing,  by  mistake,  the  Ame- 
rican over  the  English  ensign;  according  to  another,  by  an 
American  sailor  in  the  main-top,  when  in  the  act  of  killing  a 
wounded  marine.  The  enemy  had  now  the  entire  possession  of 
the  Chesapeake ;  the  English  flag  was  flying  at  the  different 
mast-beads,  yet  they  continued  to  shoot  at,  and  otherwise  to 
wound  her  sailors.  A  volley  of  musketry  was  fired  by  them 
down  upon  the  wounded,  and  one  of  the  American  midshipmen 
was  assailed  by  a  British  marine  with  great  violence  after  his 
submission  to  the  Shannon's  commander. 

N  this  engagement,  the  re- 
sult of  which  is  attributed  to 
many  fortuitous  events,  the 
superiority  of  the  American 
gunnery  was  clearly  evinced. 
The  Chesapeake  fired  two 
guns  to  one  of  the  enemy, 
and  pierced  the  Shannon's 
side  in  so  many  places,  that 
she  was  kept  afloat  \idth  very 
great  difficulty;  whilst  on 
the  other  side,  the  SbPfiiKn's* 
broadsides  scarcely  injured 
•  the  hull  of  the  Chesapeake. 
At  long  shot,  the  engage- 
ment might  have  terminated  differently ;  though  the  captain  and 
crew  were  strangers  to  each  other,  the  ship  just  out  of  port,  and 
not  in  a  fighting  condition,  and  many  of  the  sailors  quite  raw. 
Her  rate  was  thirty-six  guns,  her  force  forty-eight.  The  rate  of 
the  Shannon  was  thirty-eight,  her  force  forty-nine;  and,  in 
addition  to  her  own  crew,  she  had  on  board  sixteen  chosen  men 
fi:om  the  Bella  Poule,  and  part  of  the  crew  of  the  Tenedos.   She 


" 


I 


266 


CHESAPEAKE    AND    SHANNON. 


lost  in  the  engagement,  besides  her  first  lieutenant,  the  captain's 
clerk,  the  purser,  and  twenty-three  seamen,  killed;  and,  besides 
her  captain,  one  midshipman  and  fifty-six  seamen,  wounded. 
On  board  the  Chesapeake,  the  captain,  the  first  and  fourth  lieu- 
tenants, the  lieutenant  of  marines,  the  master,  midshipmen 
Hopewell,  Livingston,  Evans,  and  about  seventy  men  were 
killed ;  and  the  second  and  third  lieutenants,  the  chaplain,  Mid- 
shipmen  Weaver,  Abbott,  NichoUs,  Berry,  and  nearly  eighty 
men  wounded.  The  greater  proportion  of  this  loss  was  sus- 
tained, after  the  enemy  had  gained  the  deck  of  the  Chesapeake. 

Soon  after  the  termination  of  the  action,  the  two  ships  were 
steered  for  Halifax,  where  the  bodies  of  Captain  Lawrence  and 
his  gallant  ofiicers  slain  in  the  battle,  were  committed  to  the 
grave  vdth  the  usual  honours,  attended  by  all  the  civil,  naval, 
and  military  officers  of  the  two  nations,  who  happened  to  be  in 
that  port. 

Not  long  after  these  honourable  funeral  obsequies  had  been 
performed  by  the  enemy.  Captain  George  Crowninshield,  bro- 
ther to  the  secretary  of  the  navy,  actuated  by  the  laudable 
desire  of  restoring  the  body  of  the  lamented  Lawrence  to  his 
country  and  his  friends,  requested,  and  obtained,  permission  of 
the  president  to  proceed  in  a  flag  vessel  to  Halifax,  at  his  indi- 
vidual expense,  for  that  purpose.  The  cx)mmanding  officer  of 
the  British  squadron,  at  that  time  blockading  the  eastern  ports, 
Sir  Thomas  Hardy,  readily  assented  to  the  free  passage  of  Cap- 
tain Crowninshield's  brig,  and  he  accordingly  proceeded  to  effect 
his  object,  accompanied  by  twelve  masters  of  vessels,  who 
volunteered  to  compose  the  crew.  The  body  was  brought  to  the 
port  of  Salem,  and  entombed  with  the  remains  of  its  ancestors  in 
New  York,  where  the  highest  funeral  honours  were  paid  by  the 
citizens,  as  a  tribute  of  their  respect  and  admiration,  to  their  late 
gallant  countryman.  « 

The  private  armed  vessels  of  the  United  States,  the  number 
of  -which  had  greatly  increased  since  the  account  is  given  of 
them  in  a  foregoing  chapter  of  these  sketches,  were  still  cruising 
over  the  Atlantic,  continually  capturing,  and  otherwise  annoying 
the  commerce  of  the  enemy,  and  occasionally  engaging  some  of 
his  public  ships,  in  such  gallant  combats  as  are  entitled,  and 


CRUISE    OP    THE    COMET. 


257 


ought  to  DO  registered  among  the  accounts  of  the  meat  brilliant 
naval  exploits. 

The  Comet,  Captain  Boyle,  of  fourteen  guns,  and  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  men,  being  off  Pemambuco,  on  the  14th  of 
January,  discovered  four  sail  standing  out  of  that  place.  This 
squadron  consisted  of  three  English  merchantmen,  the  ship 
George,  Captain  Wilson,  of  fourteen  guns,  and  the  brigs  Gambier, 

Captain  Smith,  and  Bov^es,  Captain ,  often  guns  each,  who 

were  bound  to  Europe,  under  the  protection  of  the  fourth  vessel, 
a  Portuguese  national  ship  of  thirty-two  guns,  and  one  hundred 
and  sixty-five  men.  The  latter  having  exhibited  the  colours  of 
her  nation.  Captain  Boyle,  stood  for  her,  and  received  a  com- 
munication of  her  character  and  object,  accompanied  by  an 
injunction  not  to  molest  the  merchantmen.  Considering  that 
the  Portuguese  uad  no  right  to  afford  protection  to  a  British 
vessel,  in  the  nature  of  a  convoy,  Captain  Boyle  informed  her 
commander  of  his  determination  to  capture  them  if  he  possibly 
could,  and  immediately  sailed  in  pursuit.  As  they  kept  close 
together,  the  Comet  opened  her  fire  upon  the  three  merchant- 
men, who  relumed  it  with  alacrity.  The  man-of-war  delivered 
a  heavy  fire  of  round  and  grape,  and  received  in  turn  a  broad- 
side. The  English  occasionally  separated  from  each  other,  to 
give  the  Portuguese  a  chance  of  crippling  the  Comet,  whose 
captain,  however,  kept  as  near  as  possible  to  the  merchantmen. 
Frequent  broadsides  were  discharged,  as  opportunities  varied, 
at  the  whole  squadron,  whose  collected  force  amounted  to  fifty 
four  guns,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  ship  George  struck  her 
colours  in  a  sinking  condition.  Soon  after  the  brig  Bowes 
struck  also ;  but  a  broadside  from  the  man-of-war  prevented  the 
Comet's  boat  from  taking  possession.  Captain  Boyle  then 
repeated  his  attack  upon  the  Portuguese,  and  obliged  her  to 
sheer  off,  with  the  loss  of  her  first  lieutenant  and  five  men  killed, 
and  her  captain  and  several  men  wounded.  The  third  merchant- 
man, the  Gambier,  then  also  surrendered,  and  the  brig  B  wes, 
was  immediately  taken  possession  of.  So  much  were  the  others 
injur'id,  that  Captain  Boyle  deemed  it  improper  to  board  them, 
and  determined  to  lie  to  until  morning,  it  being  by  this  time 
excessively  dark.    Between  the  Portuguese  and  the  Comet 


'  m 


ri 


33 


268 


THE    GENERAL    ARMSTRONG. 


If 


rim. 


it 


:M: 


several  broadsides  were  exchanged  in  the  course  of  the  night, 
without  any  material  effect.  On  the  following  morning,  he 
man-of-war  gave  signal  to  the  other  ships  to  make  the  first  port, 
and  stood  off  herself  with  that  view.  The  Comet  brought  her 
prize  into  the  United  States,  making  her  way  through  a  squad- 
ron which  was  blockading  the  southern  ports.  Before  she 
arrived,  however,  she  captured  the  Alexis,  and  Dominica  packet, 
each  of  ten  guns,  and  the  Aberdeen  of  eight,  in  the  presence  of 
a  British  sloop  of  war,  who  was  at  the  same  time  in  full  chase 
of  the  privateer. 

On  the  1st  of  February,  the  schooner  Hazard,  Captain  Le 
Chartier,  of  three  guns  and  thirty-eight  men,  captured  the  ship 
Albion,  of  twelve  guns  and  fifteen  men,  being  one  of  a  convoy 
for  Europe.  On  the  23d  she  was  recaptured  by  the  cutter  Cale- 
donia, of  eight  guns  and  thirty-eight  men,  from  New  Providence. 
Three  days  after,  the  Hazard  fell  in  with  both,  engaged,  ami 
after  an  action  of  several  minutes,  compelled  both  to  strike,  but 
took  possession  of  the  prize  only  and  carried  her  into  St.  Mary's. 
The  Caledonia  was  very  much  injured,  and  most  of  her  crew 
either  killed  or  wounded.  On  board  the  Hazard,  the  first  Lieu- 
tenant and  six  men  were  slightly  wounded,  but  the  hull  and 
rigging  were  severely  shattered  by  the  grape  from  the  two 
vessels. 

The  private  armed  schooner  General  Armstrong,  Captain 
Champlin  of  eighteen  guns,  being  within  five  leagues  of  the 
mouth  of  Surrinam  river,  on  the  11  th  of  March,  discovered  a 
large  sail  to  be  at  anchor  under  the  land.  The  crew  of  the  Ge- 
neral Armstrong  supposed  her  to  be  an  English  letter  of  marque, 
and,  consequently,  Captain  Champlin  bore  down  with  the  inten- 
tion of  giving  her  a  starboard  and  a  larboard  broadside,  and  then 
to  board  her.  The  strangtjr  in  the  mean  time  had  got  sail  on 
her,  and  was  standing  out  for  the  American.  Both  vessels  thus 
approaching  each  other,  had  come  within  gun-shot,  (the  English- 
man firing  the  guns  on  his  main  deck,)  when  the  General 
Armstrong  discharged  both  the  contemplated  broadsides,  and 
discovered  too  late  that  her  antagonist  was  a  heavy  frigate.  She 
nevertheless  kept  up  her  fire,  though  attempting  to  get  away, 
but  in  ten  minutes  she  was  silenced  by  the  enemy.     The 


i.    f 


1' 


ji  ► 


THE  GENERAL  ARMSTRONG. 


261 


last  shot  of  the  General  Armstrong  brought  down  the  enemy's 
colours,  by  cutting  away  her  mizzen  gaff,  halyards,  and  her 
mizzen  and  main  stay ;  and  Captain  Champlin,  presuming  that 
she  had  struck,  made  preparations  to  possess  her ;  but  the  frigate 
opened  another  heavy  fire  upon  the  schooner,  killed  six,  ana 
wounded  the  captain  and  sixteen  of  her  men;  shot  away  the 
fore  and  main  shrouds,  pierced  the  mainmast  and  bowsprit, 
and  struck  her  several  times  between  wind  and  water.  In  this 
condition  she  laid  upv/ards  of  forty-five  minutes,  ^vithin  pistol- 
shot  of  the  frigate ;  but,  by  the  extraordinary  exertions  of  the 
crew  and  the  aid  of  sweeps,  she  got  out  of  the  enemy's  reach, 
and  arrived  at  Charleston  on  the  4th  of  April. 

On  the  3d  of  that  month,  the  privateer  Dolphin,  of  ten  guns, 
still  commanded  by  Captain  Stafford,  who  had  engaged  and  cap- 
tured two  of  the  enemy's  vessels,  mounting  twenty-six  guns, 
was  attacked  at  the  mouth  of  the  Rappahannock  river,  by  seven- 
teen barges  from  a  British  squadron.  The  barges  carried  up- 
wards of  forty  men  each ;  the  Dolphin  was  manned  by  sixty. 
Two  letters  of  marque  lying  there  also,  soon  yielded,  but  Cap- 
tain Stafford  resolved  on  defending  his  vessel.  The  battle  con- 
tinued two  hours,  when  the  enemy  succeeded  in  boarding.  The 
Dolphin's  crew  fought  with  great  desperation  on  her  deck,  and 
the  engagement  was  kept  up  many  minutes  longer  before  the 
vessel  was  captured.  The  enemy  took  down  her  colours,  and 
lost  in  killed  and  wounded  nearly  fifty  men.  On  board  the  Dol- 
phin four  men  were  wounded. 

In  the  course  of  the  summer  the  United  States  sloop  of  war 
the  Enterprise,  Lieutenant-Commanding  Burrows,  of  sixteen 
guns,  met,  engaged,  and  captured,  after  a  severe  and  obstinate 
fight,  the  British  sloop  of  war  Boxer,  Captain  Blythe,  of  eighteen 
guns,  and  brought  her  into  port.  The  captains  of  both  vessels 
were  killed  in  the  engagement.  Lieutenant-Commandant  Bur- 
rows expired  at  the  moment  the  enemy's  vessel  struck  her 
colours,  and  she  was  then  taken  possession  of  by  Lieutenant 
M'CalL* 

At  a  harbour  near  Gwinn's  island.  Lieutenant  St.  Clair  ot 


*  A  more  particular  account  of  this  action  in  the  next  naval  chapter. 


2262 


DECATUR   AND   DOMINICA. 


EnlcrpriM  imA  Boxtr. 


I  I 


( •  ( 


'f 


ri 


51     J*' 


•  J5  * 


the  navy,  who  had  previously  distinguished  himself  as  an  able 
seaman  in  the  sloop  of  war  Argus,  anchored  a  small  schooner 
mounting  two  or  three  guns,  and  filled  with  armed  men,  to  repel 
the  depredations  which  the  enemy  were  about  that  time  commit- 
ting along  the  shores  of  the  Chesapeake.  He  encountered  a 
schooner,  who  hailed  and  ordered  him  to  come  on  board  with  his 
boat,  which  being  refused,  an  engagement  followed  and  terminated 
in  silencing  the  strange  vessel.  She,  however,  renewed  it  a 
second  and  a  third  time,  and  was  as  often  silenced.  The  night 
was  excessively  dark,  and  when  Lieutenant  St.  Clair  sent  his 
boat  to  take  possession,  he  discovered  that  she  had  made  her  es- 
cape, leaving  him  with  one  man  wounded  on  board  the  schooner, 
This  succession  of  sea  engagements  was  closed  by  a  brilliant 
attack  made  by  a  privateer  upon  a  large  sloop  of  war.  The 
schooner  Commodore  Decatur,  of  ten  guns,  commanded  by  Cap 
tain  Dominique,  eng'^ged  the  sloop  of  war  Dominica,  Lieutenant 
Commandant  Barret,  of  fourteen  guns,  and  after  a  well  contested 
action  carried  her  by  boarding,  and  brought  her  into  the  United 
States.  No  event,  probably,  in  the  naval  annals,  furniches  evi 
dence  of  a  more  brilliant  and  decisive  victory  gained  by  a  vessel 
so  inferior  ia  size,  strength,  and  armament,  to  her  antagonist. 


MEASURES    OF    THE    BRITISH    GOVERNMENT.         262 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

HE  declaration  of  war  against 
Great  Britain  was  no  sooner 
made  known  at  that  court 
than  its  ministers  determined 
on  sending  into  their  pro- 
vinces of  Canada  the  veteran 
regiments  of  their  army,  and 
adopted  effectual  measures  to 
forward  to  the  coast  of  the 
American  states  a  naval  force 
competent  to  blockade  its 
5  principal  bays  and  rivers. 
Incensed  at  the  successes  of 
the  American  naval  arms  over 
the  frigates  and  sloops  of  war  of  their  nation,  they  hastened  the 
departure  of  their  different  fleets,  and  in  retaliation  for  the  inva- 
sion of  their  provinces  by  the  American  troops,  instructed  their 
commanders  to  burn  and  otherwise  to  destroy,  not  only  the  coast- 
ing and  river  craft,  but  the  towns  and  villages  on  the  navigable 
inlets ;  and  more  particularly  in  the  southern  department  of  the 
Union.  Early  in  the  spring  of  1813  detachments  of  t!iese  fleets 
arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  Delaware,  and  at  the  entrance  to  the 


'■*ff  ^iyy^'y~_ 


W   '    '' 


264 


ATTACK    ON    LEWISTOWN. 


Chesapeake  bay.  Others  were  to  rendezvous  at  Bermuda,  and 
thence  to  proceed  to  the  reinforcement  of  the  blockading  squadrons. 
In  the  month  of  March,  the  Poictiers  seventy-four,  Commodore 
Beresford ;  the  frigate  Belvidere,  and  several  smaller  vessels  of 
war  entered  the  bay  of  Delaware,  and  destroyed  great  numbers  of 
small  trading  vessels.  In  the  course  of  that  month,  they  were 
repeatedly  repulsed  in  their  attempts  to  capture  others' which 
lay  near  the  shore,  by  the  militia  of  Delaware ;  and  several  in- 
stances  occur  of  sharp  fighting,  which  tended  to  improve  the 
discipline  of  the  volunteers  of  that  state. 

MONG  other  expedients  for  obtaining  sup> 
plies,  a  demand  was  made  upon  the  peo- 
ple of  Lewistown  for  a  supply  of  provi 
sions  for  the  blockading  squadron,  which 
being  spiritedly  refiised,  on  the  6th  of 
April,  Sir  John  P.  Beresford  directed 
Captain  Byron  to  move  as  near  the  town, 
with  the  Belvidere,  as  the  waters  would 
permit  him,  and,  having  first  notified  its  inhabitants,  to  bombard 
it  until  his  demands  were  complied  with.  On  the  night  of  the 
6th,  the  bombardment  accordingly  took  place ;  the  enemy's  gun- 
boats approached  near  enough  to  throw  their  thirty-two  pound 
balls  into  the  town,  but  their  bombs  fell  far  short  of  their  object. 
Colonel  Davis,  who  commanded  at  that  time,  had  already  re- 
moved the  women  and  children,  and  returned  th  nemy's  fire 
from  an  eighteen-pounder  battery,  with  which,  in  a  few  minutes, 
he  effectually  silenced  one  of  the  gun-boats.  The  cannonade 
continued  nearly  twenty  hours;  at  the  end  of  which  time,  the 
enemy  drew  off  his  vessels  and  descended  the  bay,  having  dis- 
charged upwards  of  six  hundred  shot,  shells,  and  congreve 
rockets.  The  shells  did  not  reach  the  town ;  the  rockets  passed 
over  it;  but  the  thirty-two  pounders  injured  several  of  the 
houses. 

On  the  10th  of  May,  the  same  squadron  proceeded  from  their 
anchorage  to  a  place  seven  miles  distant  from  Lewistown,  and 
sent  out  their  barges  to  procure  water  from  the  shore.  Colonel 
Davis  immediately  despatched  Major  George  Hunter,  with  one 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  to  oppose  their  landing,  which  ihe  major 


NAVAL    ACTION. 


265 


did  with  much  gallantry,  and  compelled  them  to  return  to  their 
shipping'  The  Poictiers  and  the  Belvidere  then  sailed  out  of 
the  bay  for  Bermuda ;  and  the  militia  took  up  the  buoys,  which 
had  previously  been  set  in  the  river  by  the  enemy. 

The  Spartan  frigate  having  entered  the  Delaware  soon  after 
the  departure  of  this  squadron,  attempted,  on  the  31st  of  the  same 
month,  to  land  about  sixty  of  her  men  near  Morris's  river,  on 
the  Jersey  side,  with  a  view  to  obtain  provisions.  A  small  party 
of  the  militia  of  that  state,  however,  hastily  collected  and  drove 
them  off  before  they  had  an  opportunity  of  visiting  the  farmers' 
houses. 

In  the  month  of  June,  the  frigate  Statira  and  the  sloop  of  war 
Martin,  reinforced  the  enemy,  and  had  captured  many  large 
merchant  vessels  bound  up  the  Delaware.  The  whole  trade  be- 
tween the  capes  and  Philadelphia,  and  many  of  the  intermediate 
places,  was  liable  to  be  intercepted ;  and,  unless  they  were  pro- 
tected by  a  convoy,  the  small  vessels  usually  employed  on  the 
river,  did  not  attempt  to  sail.  On  the  23d,  a  squadron  of  nine 
gun-boats  and  two  armed  sloops,  under  Lieutenant-Commandant 
Angus,  of  the  navy,  convoyed  three  sloops  laden  with  timber  for 
a  forty-four,  then  building  at  Philadelphia,  under  the  eye  of  the 
enemy.  The  gun-boats  engaged  the  two  frigates,  whilst  the 
sloops  effected  their  passage,  and  the  Statira  and  Spartan  moved 
from  their  anchorage  to  a  situation  out  of  reach  of  annoyance. 

A  merchant  sloop  having  entered  the  bay  on  the  22d  of  July, 
on  her  return  from  sea,  was  cut  off  by  the  Martin  sloop  of  war, 
which  had  just  reappeared  in  the  Delaware.  The  sloop  ran 
aground  to  avoid  capture ;  and  although  she  was  afterwards  at- 
tacked by  a  tender  and  four  barges  well  manned  and  armed,  a 
hasty  collection  of  militia  with  one  field-piece,  under  Lieutenant 
Townsend,  drove  off  her  assailants,  and  saved  the  sloop. 

A  detachment  of  the  gun-boat  flotilla,  being  at  this  time  but  a 
few  miles  off,  were  apprized  of  the  attack  made  by  the  sloop  of 
war,  and  Captain  Angus  immediately  proceeded  down  the  bay, 
with  eight  gun-boats  and  two  block  sloops.  On  the  29th  he  dis- 
covered the  Martin,  grounded  slightly  on  the  outer  ridge  of 
Crow's  shoals,  and  determining  to  attack  her  in  that  situation, 
ae  anchored  his  squadron  within  three-quarters  of  a  mile  of  th« 

Z  34 


•266 


01  N-BOAT   ACTION   ON   THE    DELAWARE. 


■■■'ilh 


*■"  ■  ■  -  ■  J 

r '* 

ill' 


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r 


'     1! 


If 


ev^emy,  and  opened  a  fire  from  the  whole  line.  The  i  unon  fri. 
gate  came  up  to  the  assistance  of  the  sloop  of  war,  and  anchored 
within  half  a  mile  below  her.  Between  both  of  the  enemy's  ves- 
sels,  mounting  in  all  sixty-nine  guns,  and  the  gun-boat  squadron 
a  cannonatle  followed,  mid  continued  about  one  hour  and  forty. 
five  minutes ;  in  all  which  time  scarcely  a  shot  struck  either  of 
the  gun-boats,  whilst  at  almost  every  fire  the  latter  told  upon  the 
hulls  of  the  sloop  and  frigate.  This  difference  of  effect  in  the 
firing  being  discovered  by  the  British,  they  manned  their 
launches,  barges,  and  cutters,  ten  in  number,  and  despatched 
them  to  cut  off  the  boats  on  the  extremity  of  the  line. 

No.  121,  a  boat  commanded  by  Sailingmaster  Shead,  which,  by 
some  accident,  had  fallen  a  very  great  distance  out  of  the  line, 
and  was  prevented  from  recovering  its  situation  by  a  strong  ebb, 
and  the  wind  dying  away,  became  the  object  of  attack  from  the 
enemy's  barges.  Eight  of  them,  mounting  among  them  three 
twelve-pound  carronades,  and  carrying  one  hundred  and  fifty 
men,  assailed  the  gun-boat  at  one  time.  Mr.  Shead  continued, 
nevertheless,  to  sweep  her  toward  the  squadron,  and  to  discharge 
his  twenty-four  pounder  alternately  at  one  or  the  other  of  the 
pursuing  barges,  until  they  gained  so  fast  upon  him,  that  he  re- 
solved to  anchor  his  boat  and  receive  them  as  warmly  as  the 
disparity  of  numbers  would  permit  him.  He  then  gave  them  a 
discharge  of  his  great  gun  with  much  effect,  though  to  the  injury 
of  the  piece,  which  being  fired  a  second  time,  and  the  carriage 
breaking  down,  it  became  necessary  to  oppose  the  enemy;  who 
were  closing  fast,  by  the  boarders.  With  these  Mr.  Shead  re- 
sisted them,  until  his  deck  was  covered  with  men,  and  the  vessel 
entirely  surrounded  by  the  barges.  Such  was  the  impetuous  fury 
of  the  English  sailors,  that  the  Americans  were  driven  below,  and 
the  authority  of  the  enemy's  officers  could  scarcely  protect  then 
from  violence.  The  flag  was  struck,  and  the  boat  carried  off  in 
triumph  to  the  men-of-war. 

In  this  assault  the  British  lost  seven  killed  and  twelve  wounded, 
On  board  the  boat,  seven  men  were  wounded,  but  none  killed. 
The  squadron  was  all  this  time  firing  at  the  enemy's  ships,  who 
letired  after  capturing  Mr.  Shead,  the  Martin  having  been  ex- 
tricated from  her  situation  on  the  shoal.   On  board  the  flotilla  not 


DEPREDATIUNS    ON    CHESAPEAKE    BAY. 


267 


a  man  was  injured,  and  but  one  of  the  boat's  rigging  cut ;  thi» 
was  No.  125,  commanded  by  Sailingmaster  Moliere.  The  en- 
gagijmont  continued  nearly  two  hours,  and  was  the  last  affair  of 
any  consequence  which  occurred  in  the  Delaware  during  this 
year. 

In  and  along  the  shores  of  the  bay  of  Chesapeake,  where  the 
blockading  squadron  consisted  of  four  seventy-fours,  several 
frigates  and  large  sloops  of  war,  and  a  number  of  tenders  and 
barges  kept  for  the  purpose  of  navigating  the  smallest  inlets,  de- 
predations of  every  kind,  and  to  a  very  extensive  degree'  were 
carried  on  with  unreihitted  avidity.  The  various  farms,  bounded 
by  the  different  creeks  and  rivers,  tributary  to  the  bay,  became 
the  scenes  of  indiscriminate  and  unjustifiable  plunder.  The  stocks 
of  many  of  them  were  completely  destroyed ;  the  slaves  of  the 
planters,  allured  from  their  service,  armed  against  their  masters' 
defenseless  families,  and  encouraged  to  the  commission  of  every 
kind  of  pillage.  Along  a  coast  of  such  an  extent  it  was  almost 
impossible  to  station  troops  to  resist  every  incursion,  or  to  draw 
out,  and  transfer  from  one  point  to  another  with  sufficient  celerity, 
even  the  neighbouring  militia.  But  many  instances  occurred, 
notwitlistanding,  in  which  the  invaders  were  opposed,  and  some- 
times severely  repulsed,  by  a  handful  of  militia,  collected  v  ithoiit 
authority,  and  frequently  without  a  leader. 

On  the  shores  of  the  Rappahannock,  one  of  two  divisions  of 
the  enemy  was  beaten  and  routed  with  loss,  by  a  small  party  of 
Virginia  militia.  In  the  neighbourhood  of  Easton  (Maryland) 
they  took  possession  of  several  islands.  From  Sharp's,  Tilgh- 
man's,  and  Poplar  island,  they  obtained  provisions  for  the  fleet, 
and  attempted  many  incursions  to  the  opposite  shores,  thei""  suc- 
cess in  which  was  prevented  by  bodies  of  cavalry  and  infantrj', 
which  the  spirited  citizens  of  Maryland  had  arranged  at  different 
rendezvous  along  the  shores  of  the  bay,  in  anticipation  of  a  visit 
from  the  blockading  fleet.  ,     <: 

The  commanding  officer  of  the  fleet.  Sir  John  B.  Warren,  was 
at  this  time  in  Bermuda,  making  preparations  for  its  augmenta- 
tion ;  and  the  vessels  then,  in  the  bay  were  commanded  by  Rear 
Admiral  George  Cockbum.  About  the  latter  part  of  April,  this 
officer  (letermined  on  attacking  and  destroying  the  towns  most 


m 


m\'l 


If*'''' 


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m- 


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It.  ^' 


M 


m- 


268 


ATTACK  ON  HAVKE  DE  GRACE. 


contiguous  to  the  head  of  the  bay ;  and  for  this  purpose,  on  the 
29th,  he  led  a  few  hundred  of  his  marines,  in  the  barges  of  his 
ship,  the  Marlborough,  to  the  attack  of  Frenchtown,  a  place 
containing  about  six  houses,  two  storehouses,  and  several  stables, 
and  important  only  because  of  being  a  place  of  intermediate 
depot,  between  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia.  A  party  of  militia 
from  Elkton,  too  inferior  to  the  invaders  to  justify  an  attempt  at 
resistance,  retired  on  their  approach,  and  Admiral  Cockburu 
landed  his  marines  and  destroyed  the  storehouses,  in  which  were 
deposited  a  (quantity  of  goods  belonging  to  merchants  of  those 
cities,  of  immense  value,  and  a  splendid  architectural  drop  cur- 
tain and  other  paintings,  belonging  to  the  Philadelphia  and  Bal- 
timore  theatres.  The  marines  being  no  professed  admirers  of  tlie 
arts,  these  were  destroyed  without  much  hesitation.  The  private 
houses  were  saved  by  the  interference  of  some  respectable  citi- 
zens ;  and  after  plundering  the  others,  and  setting  fire  to  two 
vessels  lying  in  the  harbour,  the  British  returned  to  their  ship. 
ping. 

HE  town  of  Havre  de  Grace,  situated 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Susqueliaii- 
na,  about  two  miles  from  the  iicad 
of  the  bay,  and  through  which  tlie 
great  post-road  passes,  was  the  next 
object  in  the  plan  of  the  admiral's 
operations.  On  the  morning  of  the 
3d  of  May  he  proceeded  to  its  assault 
with  nineteen  barges,  and  wlieii 
within  a  short  distance  of  tlie  town 
commenced  a  tremendous  bombardment,  accompanied  by  the 
firing  of  cannon  and  the  discharge  of  numerous  rockets.  In  ex- 
pectation of  an  attack  from  the  enemy,  the  people  of  Havre  le 
Grace  had  made  preparations  for  the  defense  of  the  place,  and  a 
b?»ttery  had  been  erected  of  two  six-pounders  and  one  nine. 

At  the  time  of  the  assault  the  inhabitants  were  in  their  beds, 
and  there  being  no  sentinels,  the  first  notice  they  had  of  the  ap- 
proach of  the  enemy  was  from  the  discharge  of  one  of  his  pieces. 
The  battery  had  been  assigned  as  a  place  of  rendezvous  in  the 
event  of  an  attack ;  but  such  was  the  surprise  which  the  presence 


'V'U 


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occasii 

stroy( 


ATTACK    ON    HAVRE    DE    GRACE. 


271 


of  the  enemy  excited,  and  so  incessant  his  discharges  of  sliells  and 
rockets,  tt'iat  five  or  six  men  only  were  fearless  enough  to  repair 
to  their  breastwork  and  resist  the  approaches  of  the  British  barges. 
This  small  party  kept  up  a  fire  firom  the  battery  until  the  enemy's 
advance  commenced  its  debarkation;  when  all,  except  O'Neill, 
an  old  citizen  of  Havre  de  Grace,  abandoned  their  posts,  and  fol- 
lowing the  militia,  who  had  fled  with  shameful  precipitation,  left 
the  women  and  children  of  the  place  to  the  mercy  of  the  invaders. 
0'N<^ill  continued,  with  great  difficulty,  to  discharge  one  of  the 
s'x-pounders,  until  in  recoiling  it  ran  over  his  thigh  and  rendered 
him  incapable  of  further  resistance  in  tiiat  way.  But  collecting 
all  his  strength,  he  armed  himself  with  two  muskets,  and  retreat- 
ing from  the  battery  to  the  rear  of  the  town,  vainly  endeavoured 
to  retard  the  flight  of  the  militia. 

In  the  mean  time  the  whole  body  of  the  enemy  had  landed, 
and  were  actively  engaged  in  destroying  the  houses.  They  set 
fire  to  those  which  had  not  been  injured  by  their  shells,  broke 
the  furniture,  and  cut  open  the  bedding  of  the  citizens  to  augment 
the  flames ;  destroyed  the  public  stages,  maimed  the  horses,  cut 
to  pieces  the  private  baggage  of  the  passengers,  tore  the  clothing 
of  some  of  the  inhabitants  from  their  Imcks,  and  left  to  others  those 
only  which  tlicy  wore.  Women  and  children,  flying  in  every 
direction  to  avoid  a  relentless  foe,  and  to  seek  protection  from 
their  own  countrymen,  were  insulted  by  the  morose  seamen  and 
marines ;  and  the  only  house  which  yet  remained  entirely  unin- 
jured, was  sought  by  one  and  ail  as  an  asylum.  In  this,  which 
was  a  spacious  and  elegant  private  mansion,  several  ladies  of  the 
first  distinction  had  taken  refuge,  and  among  them  the  wife  of 
Commodore  Rodgers.  An  officer,  who  had  just  before  made  pri- 
soner of  O'Neill,  was  entreated  to  suffer  this  house,  at  least,  to 
escape  the  general  conflagration  :  but  as  he  was  obeying  the  orders 
of  Admiral  Cockburn,  the  most  he  could  do  was  to  suspend  his 
purpose  until  those  unprotected  women  could  prevail  upon  the 
admiral  to  countermand  them.  The  only  act  i)artaking  of  the 
least  degree  of  humanity  which  the  admiral  could  boast  of  on  this 
occasion,  was  his  compliance  with  these  earnest  entreaties. 

Having  spreod  desolation  through  the  whole  town,  and  de- 
stroyed the  doors  and  windows  of  a  handsome  church  contiguoua 


^mm 


iMii 


'iHl 


E : 


V 


I 


'r. 


272 


DESTRUCTION    OF    CECIL    FURNACE. 


to  it,  the  admiral  divided  his  party  into  three  sections,  one  of 
which  remained  in  the  town  to  give  notice  of  the  approach  ol 
danger ;  the  second  proceeded  on  the  road  leading  toward  Baltimore, 
plundering  the  houses  and  farms  between  Havre  de  Grace  and 
Patterson's  Mills,  and  robbing  private  travellers  on  the  highway 
of  their  money  and  apparel ;  and  the  third  went  six  miles  up  the 
river  to  a  place  called  Cresswell's  Ferry,  whenc  j,  after  commit- 
ting many  acts  of  outrage,  they  returned  to  concentrate  their 
force  at  the  place  of  landing.  Here  the  admiral  ordered  them  to 
re-embark,  and  having  crossed  the  Susquehanna,  the  whole 
squadron  of  his  barges  made  round  the  point  which  is  form.ed  at 
its  entrance,  and  shaped  their  course  three  miles  further  up  the 
bay,  where  .the  party  relanded,  repaired  to  those  important  and 
valuable  works,  Cecil  furnace,  where  lay  upwards  of  fifty  pieces 
of  elegant  cannon,  the  only  legitimate  object  of  destruction  which 
the  invaders  had  yet  met  with.  These  they  spiked,  stuffed  the 
muzzles  with  clay  and  broken  pieces  of  iron,  and  knocked  off  the 
trunii'ons.  Not  content,  however,  with  demolishing  them  and 
destroying  other  implements  of  war,  they  battered  down  the  fur- 
nace, which  was  private  property,  sot  fire  to  the  stables  belonging 
to  it,  and  as  the  last  act  of  atrocity  with  which  this  expedition 
was  destined  to  be  marked,  they  tore  up  a  small  bridge  con- 
structed over  a  deep,  though  narrow  creek,  and  over  which  tra- 
vellers of  every  description  were  obliged  to  pass,  or  venture 
through  a  wider  channel  at  the  imminent  hazard  of  their  lives. 

H:i'  ing  attained  all  the  objects  of  this  enterprise,  the  British 
sailors  and  marines  returned  to  their  shipping  in  the  bay;  and 
on  tlni  Cch  they  sailed  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Havre  de 
Gr-j-.»,  to  the  great  joy  of  its  distressed  and  ruined  inhabitants, 
O'Neill,  who  had  dared  to  resist  them  in  the  early  stage  of  their 
proceedings,  was  taken  on  board  the  blockading  fleet,  and  de- 
tsiined  there  several  days.  Such  of  the  inhabitants  as  were  not 
left  entirely  destitute,  were  deprived  of  those  articles  of  property 
which  could  relieve  others ;  and  it  became  necessary  to  apply 
for  assistance  to  the  principal  and  most  opulent  town  of  Mary- 
land. The  citizens  of  13altimore  relieved  the  sufferers,  and  pre- 
parations were  soon  after  made  to  rebuild  the  houses. 

In  tlie  relation  of  such  scenes  as  those  which  occurred  at 


ATTACK    ON    PRE  DE  RICKTO  WN. 


273 


Havre  de  Grace,  it  seldom  happens  that  an  account  is  to  be  given 
of  the  killed  and  wounded  in  an  action.  In  the  slight  resist- 
ance which  was  made  by  O'Neill  and  his  companions,  however, 
the  enemy  had  three  men  killed  and  two  wounded.  Of  the 
inhabitants,  one  man  was  killed  by  the  explosion  of  a  rocket. 

Fraught  with  the  immense  booty  that  he  had  brought  away 
from  Havre  de  Grace,  and  finding  his  sailors  and  marines  to  be 
elated  at  the  facility  which  the  prospect  of  an  attack  on  other 
equally  defenseless  towns  held  out  of  enriching  themselves,  the 
rear  admiral  contemplated  an  early  assault  upon  such  as  he  should 
discover  to  contain  the  most  valuable  spoil.  The  treachery  of 
some  citizens  of  the  republic,  and  the  easy  intercourse  which  he 
kept  up  with  his  appointed  agents,  such  as  are  employed  by 
officers  on  all  stations,  enabled  him  to  discover  the  fjituation  of 
those  towns  and  villages  along  the  bay  shore  with  as  much 
readiness,  as  he  could  be  wafted  by  his  ships  from  one  point  of 
assault  to  another.  On  the  river  Sassafras,  emptying  itself  into 
the  bay,  at  a  short  sailing  distance  from  the  admiral's  anchorage, 
and  separating  the  counties  of  Kent  and  Cecil,  stood  nearly 
opposite  each  other,  the  villages  of  Georgetown  and  Frederick- 
town,  containing,  either  of  them,  about  twenty  houses.  These 
had  attracted  the  attention  of  Admiral  Cockburn,  and  he  deter- 
mined on  the  possession  of  the  property  of  the  inhabitants.  On 
the  6th,  he  therefore  entered  that  river,  with  eighteen  barges, 
each  carrying  one  great  gun,  and  manned  altogether  bv  six 
hundred  men. 

Fredericktown  was  his  first  object.  At  this  place  on  ^  j.vnaU 
cannon  had  been  mounted,  and  about  eighty  militia  collected, 
under  Colonel  Veazy,  on  the  approach  of  the  b  .:jes.  The 
latter  commenced  a  heavy  fire,  and  having  disci. arged  an  im- 
mense number  of  langrage  rockets,  grape  shot,  and  musket 
balls  within  a  very  few  minutes,  more  than  one-half  of  the  militia 
fled.  Thirty-five  only,  under  the  colonel,  stood  their  ground, 
and  worked  the  cannon  with  such  skill,  that  the  boats,  whose 
fire  was  principally  directed  at  the  battery,  suffered  very  severely. 
The  invaders  were  gallantly  resisted  for  more  than  half  an  hour, 
when  they  effected  a  landing,  and  marching  towards  the  town, 
compelled  the  militia  to  reiire.      Colonel  Veazy  effected  hi.s 

S5 


in 


1      '^ 


f  all 


li: 
mi' 


u- 


dir: 


!il|i 


m 


!  I 


lij'!-, 


I 


J74 


DEPREDATIONS  ON  THE  CHESAPEAKE. 


retreat  in  excellent  order.  Admiral  Coclcburn  then  marched  u\ 
trie  head  of  his  men  to  the  village ;  where,  after  having  pluutlered 
the  houses  of  their  most  valuable  movables,  he  set  fire  to  every 
building  in  the  town.  The  entreaties  of  the  distressed  women 
and  children  availed  not  with  the  admiral ;  and  he  would  not 
quit  the  place  until  he  had  entirely  deprived  them  of  everj' 
refuge.  Whilst  the  flames  were  raging  in  every  part  of  Fiv 
dericktown,  the  admiral  moved  over  Sassafras  river  to  George- 
town, and  demolished  all  the  stone,  and  burned  the  wooden 
buildings.  Tlie  wretched  inhabitants  of  the  opposite  towns 
were  left  to  console  each  other,  and  the  enemy's  scjuudrou  of 
barges,  glutted  with  fresh  spoil,  retired  to  their  shipping. 

Succeeding  this  affair  were  several  repulses  of  small  parti<'s 
of  the  enemy  from  the  shores  of  the  bay.  Many  attempts  were 
made  to  land  at  the  different  farms,  and  the  barge  crews  fre- 
quently assailed  the  planters'  houses  and  took  off  provisions, 
clothing,  money,  and  plate. 

About  this  time,  too.  Admiral  Warren  issued  a  proclamiition 
from  Bermuda,  declaring,  besides  the  Chesapeake  and  l)eL'n\arc, 
the  ports  of  New  York,  Charleston,  Port  Royal,  Savannali,  and 
the  whole  of  the  river  Mississippi  to  be  in  a  state  of  rii'oroiis 
blockade.  From  all  these  ports,  however,  notwithstandinn-  tlie 
efficiency  of  Admiral  Warren's  force,  the  public  shi})s  of  war  of 
the  United  States,  the  private  armed  vessels,  and  numorons 
merchantmen  were  daily  putting  to  sea.  Prizes  to  these,  which 
had  been  captured  at  immense  distances  from  the  coast,  were 
continually  sent  into  the  harbours  declared  to  be  blockaded ;  and 
neutral  vessels  did  not  hesitate  to  enter  and  depart  at  the  plea- 
sure of  those  concerned  in  them.  Admiral  Warren  shortlv  after 
arrived  in  the  Chesapeake  with  an  additional  fleet,  and  a  large 
number  of  soldiers  and  marines  under  General  Sir  Sidney  Bcck- 
with.  Between  these  officers  and  Admiral  Cockburn  various 
plans  were  designed  for  the  attack  of  the  more  important  assail 
able  towns. 

By  the  capture  of  the  bay  craft  they  were  well  supplied  with 
tenders  to  the  different  vessels  of  the  fleet ;  and  the  stren;.rth  of 
their  armament  enabled  them  to  equip  the  craft  in  a  warlike 
manner.     Tlie  revenue  cutter  Surveyor,  Captain  Travis,  was 


.'!   (■•  t. 


Ik 


r-i>. 
'■.re 


'M^ 


assailed 
the  10th 
vras  capl 
cutter  w 
ployed  i] 
shore.  T 
however. 
which  hj 
the  bay. 


FORCE   OF   THE   NORFOLK   MILITIA. 


277 


assailed  by  the  barges  and  tender  of  the  Narcissus  frigate,  on 
the  lOth  of  June,  near  York  river ;  and,  after  a  gallant  resistance. 
was  captured  by  a  force  nine  times  superior  to  her  own.  Thii 
cutter  was  transferred  to  the  British  service,  and  frequently  em- 
ployed in  penetrating  the  narrow  passes  and  rivulets  along  the 
shore.  The  depredations  of  the  enemy,  received  about  this  time, 
however,  a  salutary  check  from  several  private  armed  vessels, 
which  had  been  hired  into  the  American  service  to  cruise  along 
the  bay. 

i^  N  thai  quarter  the  enemy's  force 
§■  consisted  of  seven  seventy-fours, 
twelve  frigates,  and  many  smallei 
vessels;  and  from  their  suspi- 
cious movements  and  menacing 
attitudes,  the  citizens  of  all  the 
surrounding  towns  became  ap- 
prehensive of  an  attack.  Hamp- 
ton and  Norfolk  were  thought  to 
be  their  more  immediate  objects ; 
and  preparations  were  made 
at  the  latter  to  man  all  the  works  which  had  been  pre- 
viously constructed.  At  Norfolk,  the  militia  force  very  soon, 
consisted  of  ten  thousand  men.  At  Hampton,  a  force  of  not 
more  than  four  hundred  and  fifty  men  had  yet  been  organ- 
ized. 

On  the  18th  three  of  the  frigates  entered  Hampton  roads,  and 
despatched  several  barges  to  destroy  the  small  vessels  coming 
down  James  river.  Two  or  three  gun-boats  being  in  the  vicinity 
of  that  river,  obliged  the  barges  to  retire,  and  communicated  to 
the  naval  commander  of  the  station,  Coi  imodore  Cassin,  intelli- 
gence of  the  approach  of  the  frigates.  The  flotilla  of  gun-boats 
ill  Elizabeth  river,  on  which  Norfolk  is  situated,  was  then  com- 
manded by  Lieutenant-Commandant  Tarbell.  The  frigate  Con- 
stellation was  moored  at  the  navy-yard  opposite  Norfolk,  and  it 
was  determined  by  Commodore  Cassin  to  man  fifteen  of  the 
gun-boats  from  the  crew  cf  the  Constellation,  and  to  despatch 
them  against  that  frigate  of  the  enemy,  which  was  reported  to 

be  three  miles  ahead  of  the  others, 
s  A 


V. 


Lf'f* 


■1, 


278 


NAVAL   ACTIONS   NEAR   NORFOLK. 


!■ 


U" ' 


r?5 


On  the  1 9th,  Captain  Tarbell  proceeded  with  his  boats  in  two 
divisions;  Lieutenant  Gardner  having  command  of  the  first 
and  Lieutenant  R.  Ilonly  of  the  second.  The  prevalence  of 
adverse  winds  prevented  his  coming  within  reach  of  the  enemy 
until  four  p.  m.  of  the  20th,  at  which  hour  he  stationed  his  divi 
sions,  and  commenced  a  rapid  fire  at  the  distance  of  three-quar 
ters  of  a  mile.  The  frigate  opened  on  the  boats,  and  the  can- 
nonade continued  half  an  hour,  to  the  great  injury  of  the  frigate, 
(the  Junon,)  when  the  other  frigates  were  enabled,  by  a  fresh 
breeze,  to  get  under  way  to  the  assistance  of  their  companions. 
Captain  Tarbell  was  then  obliged  to  haul  off  to  a  greater  dis- 
tance, still,  however,  keeping  up  a  well-directed  and  incessant 
fire  upon  the  enemy's  whole  squadron.  The  first  frigate  was  hy 
this  time  so  much  injured  that  her  fire  was  only  occasionally  d  - 
livered ;  and,  between  the  others  and  the  gun-boats,  the  cannon- 
ade was  prolonged  one  hour  longer;  in  which  time  several 
heavy  broadsides  were  discharged  at  the  flotilla.  Captain  Tar- 
bell then  withdrew  from  the  engagement,  with  the  loss  of  one 
killed,  Mr.  Allison,  a  master's  mate,  and  three  of  the  boats 
slightly  injured.  The  enemy  were  supposed  to  have  suffered 
severely.  The  frigate  first  engaged  was  so  much  shattered,  that 
the  vessels  which  came  to  her  assistance,  were  obliged  to  employ 
all  their  hands  to  repair  her.  In  this  affair  the  Americans  had 
fifteen  guns;  the  British  one  hundred  and  fifty  and  upwards. 
Captain  Tarbfill's  conduct,  as  well  as  Lieutenants  Gardner, 
Henly,  and  others,  received  the  fullest  approbation  of  the  sur- 
rounding garrisons,  and  of  the  citizens  of  Norfolk. 

The  firing  during  this  action  being  distinctly  heard  by  the 
enemy's  fleet  in  the  bay,  and  fears  being  entertained  by  the  ad- 
miral about  the  safety  of  the  three  frigates,  thirteen  sail  of  the 
line  of  battle  ships  and  frigates  were  ordered  to  proceed  toHan.p- 
ton  roads.  In  the  course  of  the  20th,  they  dropped  to  the  mouth 
of  James  river,  wlu^ro  they  learned  the  cause  of  the  recent  cannon- 
ade, and  dcitermirKul  on  forthwith  reducing  the  forts  and  garrisons, 
on  which  the  dciO^nse  of  Norfolk  depended. 

An  immcnise  number  of  barges  were  apparently  preparing  for 
an  attack  or\  Cnmy  island,  the  nearest  obstruction  to  the  enemy's 
advances.     Cuptain  Tarbell  directed  Lieutenants   Neale,  Shu- 


brick,  a 
dredsei 
anddisf 
Atth 
their  ba 
of  aboui 
time  to  1 
ceived  i] 
to  land  -N 
approacl 
Lieutent 
a  galling 
a  momei 
hundred 
his  man 
was  fired 
through 
crew,  bu 
the  squac 
tofore  faij 
fifty  feet 
places,  tl 
whose  s€ 
ing  to  hi 
his  retre 
Whih 
the  wate 
who  hac 
the  westi 
teers. 
eight  hi 
above  n| 
low  watj 
mandec 
dicious  I 
ner,  ofj 
pound  el 
this  bal 


DEFENSE    OF    CRANY    ISLAND. 


279 


brick,  and  Saunders,  each  of  the  Constellation,  to  land  one  hun- 
dred seamen  on  that  island,  to  man  a  battery  on  its  north-west  side, 
and  disposed  the  gun-boats  so  as  to  annoy  the  enemy  from  the  other 

At  the  dawn  of  the  22d,  the  British  approached  the  island  with 
their  barges,  round  the  point  of  Nansemond  river,  to  the  number 
of  about  four  thousand  men,  many  of  whom  were  French,  from 
time  to  time  made  prisoners  by  the  English,  and  occasionally  re- 
ceived into  their  service.  The  place  at  which  they  had  chosen 
to  land  was  out  of  the  reach  of  the  gun-boats,  and  when  they  had 
approached  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  shore,  the  gallant 
Lieutenant  Neale,  assisted  by  Shubrick  and  Saunders,  opened 
a  galling  fire  from  his  battery,  and  compelled  the  enemy  to  make 
a  momentary  pause.  The  battery  was  manned  altogether  by  one 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  including  Lieutenant  Breckenridge  and 
his  marines.  An  eighteen-pounder  which  was  stationed  at  it, 
was  fired  with  such  precision,  that  many  of  the  barges  were  cut 
through  the  middle,  and  would  inevitably  have  carried  down  the 
crew,  but  for  the  immediate  assistance  rendered  by  the  others  of 
the  squadron.  Every  attempt  to  approach  the  shore  having  here- 
tofore failed,  and  the  admiral's  boat,  the  Centipede,  upwards  of 
fifty  feet  in  length,  and  filled  with  men,  being  pierced  in  so  many 
places,  that  she  sunk  as  soon  as  she  was  abandoned,  the  enemy, 
whose  seamen  were  falling  in  every  barge,  determined  on  return- 
ing to  his  shipping  with  as  little  delay  as  possible.  But,  even  in 
his  retreat,  he  suffered  severely  from  the  small  battery. 

Whilst  this  gallant  resistance  was  made  to  his  approaches  from 
the  water,  by  the  naval  division  on  the  island,  the  enemy's  troops, 
who  had  landed  on  the  main  shore,  and  crossed  a  narrow  inlet  to 
the  west  side,  were  warmly  engaged  with  the  Virginia  volun- 
teers. Previously  to  the  movement  of  the  barges,  upwards  of 
eight  hundred  soldiers  had  been  landed  by  the  enemy  at  the  place 
above  mentioned,  and  were  already  crossing  the  inlet,  which,  at 
low  water,  is  passable  by  infantry.  Colonel  Beatty,  who  com- 
manded the  military  division  on  the  island,  made  instant  and  ju 
dicious  preparations  to  receive  the  enemy.  Under  Major  Faulk 
ner,  of  the  artillery,  two  twenty-four-pounders  and  four  six- 
pounders,  had  been  drawn  up  to  resist  them.  One  division  of 
this  battery  was  commanded  by  Captain  Emmerson,  and  two 


h  in: 


280 


DEFENSE    OF    CRANY    ISLAND. 


others  by  Lieutenants  Howl  and  Godwin.  The  enemy's  troops 
had  v^t  all  landed  when  this  cannon  was  opened  upon  them  with 
great  a<ldress;  and  those  which  had  not  crossed  the  gulf,  were 
compelled  to  retreat,  by  the  velocity  and  precision  of  the  f:,e 
1  hose  which  hud  already  gained  the  island,  fell  back  to  its  rear 
and  threw  several  rocVets  from  a  house  which  stood  there;  but 
they  were  very  soon  dislodged  by  one  of  the  gun-boats,  in  v.  liich 
a  twenty-four-pounder  n^as  brought  to  bear  upon  the  house,  nd 
with  great  difficulty  escaped  from  the  island ;  when,  joining  Vu 
troops  who  had  b<3en  previously  repulstd,  they  were  all  con- 
ducted back  to  the  British  fleet. 

When  that  division  of  the  enemy  which  was  composed  of  his 
seamen  and  marines,  had  beon  foiled  in  its  attempt  to  land,  Lieu- 
tenant Neale  gave  direction^  lo  his  intrepid  sailors  to  haul  up  the 
boats  which  had  been  sunk,  and  to  a.ssist  the  British  sailors  and 
mn fines,  who  were  making  for  safety  to  the  shore.  The  Centi- 
pede was  accordingly  drawn  up,  and  a  small  brass  three- [)oun(ler, 
a  number  of  small  arms,  and  a  quantity  of  pistols  and  cutlasses, 
taken  out  of  her.  Twenty-two  of  her  men  came  on  the  island 
with  her,  and  surrondeied  themselves  as  deserters.  In  this  warm 
and  spirited  eDfTngement,  in  which  three  thousand  British 
soldiers,  sailors,  and  marinas,  were  opposed  to  four  hundred  and 
eighty  Virginia  militia,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  sailors  and 
marines;  the  loss  or  the  side  of  the  invaders  in  killed,  wounded, 
and  drowned,  was  upwards  of  two  hundred,  exclusive  of  forty 
deserters ;  on  the  side  of  the  invaded,  not  a  man  was  either  killed 
or  wounded. 

By  the  gallant  services  of  the  defenders  of  this  island  the  safety 
of  the  town  of  Norfolk  was,  for  a  time  at  least,  secured,  and  to 
the  intrepid  bravery  and  indefatigable  exertions  of  Licuterant 
Neale  and  his  companions,  Shubrick,  Saunders,  and  Brecken 
ridge ;  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Beatty  and  his  officers.  Major  Faulk- 
ner, Captain  Emmerson,  and  Lieutenants  Howl  and  Godwin,  and 
two  non-commissioned  volunteers,  Sergeant  Young  and  Corporal 
Moffit,  and  the  valiant  men  who  assisted  in  the  defense  of  the 
island,  the  gratitude  of  the  citizens  of  Norfolk  and  the  surround- 
ing towns,  Portsmouth,  Gosport,  and  others,  has  been  frequently 
manifested. 


EXPEDITION    AGAINST    HAMPTON. 


281 


Immediately  after  this  repulse  of  the  British  a  conference  was 
held  between  Admirals  Warren  and  Cockburn,  and  Sir  Sidney 
Beck  with ;  the  result  of  which  was  a  determination  to  revenge 
the  loss  they  had  sustained,  and  to  facilitate  the  success  of  their 
next  attempt  by  cutting  off  the  communication  between  the 
upper  part  of  Vii^nia  and  the  borough  of  Norfolk.  This  com- 
launi'^ation  they  supposed  to  be  entirely  commanded  by  the  small 
garrison  at  Hampton,  an  inconsiderable  town  eighteen  miles  dis- 
tant from  Norfolk,  and  separated  from  it  by  Hampton  roads. 
Their  troops,  exasperatef'  at  the  failure  of  the  r^^cent  -'pedition 
against  Crany  island,  were  well  disposed  to  retaliai'  iiic  conse- 
quences of  a  repulse ;  and  their  commanders  availiu-  'leti,  selves 
of  the  intemperate  spirit  which  was  manifested  thr  tut  the 

fleet,  resolved  on  forwarding  an  expedition  against  this  weak  po- 
sition with  the  least  possible  delay.  All  things  being  ready  upon 
their  part,  they  proceeded  on  the  25th,  three  days  after  the  late 
eng£.gement,  with  upwards  of  two  thousand  men,  in  a  large 
squadron  of  their  principal  barges.  Of  these,  the  102d  regiment, 
two  companies  of  Canadian  chasseurs,  and  three  companies  of 
marines  composed  the  advance,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Napier. 
The  remainder  of  the  troops  consisted  of  royal  marine  battalions, 
under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Williams,  the  whole  commanded  by 
Sir  Sidney.  A  number  of  launches  and  rocket-boats,  filled  with 
sailors,  and  covered  by  the  sloop  of  war  Mohawk,  Captain  Pe- 
chell,  were  commanded  by  Admiral  Cockburn,  and  directed  to  take 
a  station  before  the  town  to  throw  in  the  rockets  and  keep  up  a 
constant  cannonade,  whilst  the  troops  under  Sir  Sidney  should 
land  at  a  distance  of  several  miles  below  the  town,  and  gain  the 
rear  oi  the  undisciplined  American  militia.  The  plan  of  opera- 
tions being  thus  arranged,  the  movement  was  commenced  at  the 
dawn  of  day,  and  with  this  irresistible  force  and  equipment  the 
enemy  proceeded  to  assault  a  garrison  of  three  hundred  and  forty- 
nine  infantry  and  rifle,  sixty-two  artillerymen,  with  four  twelves 
and  three  sixes,  and  twenty-seven  cavalry,  making  in  all  a  force 
of  four  hundred  and  thirty-eight  men. 

On  the  approach  of  that  division  of  the  enemy  which  was  to 
attack  from  the  water,  Major  Crutchfield,  the  commandant  at 
Hampton,  immediately  formed  his  troops  on  Little    England 


ill 
if 


III 


i\   11 


•[^■m 
& :  ^'^m 


r  jf  ;■;;    '^ ' 


2a2 


36 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREiT 

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ATTACK    ON    HAMPTON. 


Plantation,  which  was  divided  from  the  town  by  a  narrow  creek, 
over  which  a  slight  bridge  had  been  previously  constructed.  The 
enemy's  barges  were  approaching  this  creek  and  keeping  up  a 
fire  of  round  shot,  until  they  gained  Blackboard  Point,  when  the 
four  twelve-pounders  were  opened  upon  them  with  so  much  ef- 
fect, that  Admiral  Cockbum  thought  it  advisable  to  draw  back 
and  shelter  himself  behind  the  point.  Thence  he  continued  to 
throw  his  rockets,  and  twelves  and  eighteens,  nearly  an  hour, 
without  doing  the  smallest  injury  to  the  encampment ;  his  shot 
either  falling  short  of  his  object  or  going  over  it. 

Meantime  Sir  Sidney  had  landed  and  was  coming  down  the 
great  road  on  the  rear  of  the  Americans,  when  Major  Crutchfield 
being  apprized  of  his  march,  had  despatched  a  rifle  company 
under  Captain  Servant,  to  conceal  themselves  in  a  wood  near 
which  the  invaders  would  be  obliged  to  pass.  Captain  Servant 
executed  his  orders  with  the  utmost  precision,  and  annoyed  the 
advancing  British  column  with  great  severity.  But  his  force  was 
too  inefficient  to  sustain  a  contest  of  any  length  of  time,  and  Major 
Crutchfield  seeing  that  the  barges  would  not  approach  until  they 
knew  of  the  arrival  of  Sir  Sidney  within  the  camp,  drew  out  the 
infantry  forces  to  the  aid  of  the  riflemen,  and  to  prevent  the  ene- 
my's cutting  off  his  retreat.  As  this  portion  of  the  Americans 
were  marchii^  in  column  near  a  defile  which  led  to  Celey's  road, 
they  were  fired  upon  by  the  enemy's  musketeers  from  a  thick- 
wood  at  two  hundred  yards  distance.  Major  Crutchfield  imme 
diately  wheeled  his  column  into  line  and  marched  towards  the 
thicket  to  return  the  fire  and  rout  the  enemy.  He  had  not  ad- 
vanced fifty  yards  before  the  British  delivered  him  a  fire  from 
two  six-pounders,  accompanied  by  an  unexpected  discharge  of 
rockets.  Being  now  apprized  of  the  danger  of  proceeding  m  that 
direction  against  ordnance  with  so  small  a  force,  he  wheeled 
again  into  column  and  attempted  to  gain  a  passage  througli  the 
defile  in  the  woods,  at  the  extremity  of  which  Captain  Servant 
with  his  riflemen  had  heretofore  kept  the  British  in  continual 
check.  His  column,  under  the  fire  from  the  two  sixes,  was  not 
formed  with  as  much  celerity  as  it  had  been  displayed,  but  he 
Hucceeded  at  length  in  putting  it  in  marching  order,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  the  defile.    Captain  Cooper,  with  the  cavalry,  was  at 


ATTACK    ON    HAMPTON. 


283 


this  moment  engaged  with  the  enemy's  left  flank,  and  notwith- 
standing the  fatigue  which  his  troops  had  already  experienced  in 
patroUing,  he  annoyed  them  so  successfully,  that  the  British 
general,  augmenting  the  strength  of  that  flank,  issued  a  direction 
to  cut  him  off.  In  this  the  enemy  did  not  succeed,  and  Captain 
Cooper,  drawing  up  his  troops  in  a  charging  column,  effected  his 
retreat  with  great  skill  and  intrepidity. 

The  column  under  Major  Crutchfield  had  now  gained,  and 
were  passing  through  the  defile,  under  a  constant  fire  from  the 
enemy's  six-})ounders.  It  had  just  attained  the  wood,  on  the 
left  of  the  riflemen,  when  a  third  six-pounder  opened  upon  it, 
and  in  conjunction  with  the  others,  threw  into  confusion  the 
different  companies  of  which  the  column  was  composed.  Several 
platoons  immediately  took  up  their  retreat;  but  those  which 
were  nearer  the  head  of  the  column,  led  on  by  Major  Crutchfield 
and  Major  Corbin,  wheeled  with  great  judgment  into  the  wood, 
and  forming  on  the  rifle  corps,  under  their  separate  captains. 
Shield  and  Hemdon,  kept  up  the  action  with  an  unflagging  spirit, 
until  it  was  deemed  necessary  for  the  whole  body  to  retreat. 
Captain  Pryor,  who  had  been  left  in  the  encampment  with  the 
artillery,  to  continue  the  fire  upon  the  enemy's  barges,  resisted 
their  approaches  until  the  sailors  had  landed  in  front  of  the 
town,  and  the  British  troops  were  in  his  rear.  They  had  already 
advanced  within  sixty  yards  of  his  battery ;  his  corps  were  ready 
to  yield  themselves  up  as  prisoners  of  war,  and  the  royal  marines 
were  preparing  to  take  them.  They  saw  no  possibility  of  escap- 
ing, UQtil  their  gallant  commander  gave  an  order  to  spike  the 
gun's,  and  break  through  the  enemy's  rear.  Intrepid  as  himself, 
they  executed  his  commands ;  and  pressing  furiously  through 
the  British  marines,  whom  they  threw  into  a  temporary  derange- 
ment, found  their  further  escape  obstructed  by  the  creek.  Cap- 
tain Pryor  still  determined  on  retiring  beyond  the  enemy's  reach, 
threw  himself  into  the  creek,  and  commanding  his  men  to  follow, 
with  their  carbines,  effected  the  retreat  of  his  corps  in  good 
order,  and  without  an  individual  loss.  Such  was  the  disparity 
of  force,  when  the  barge  crews  and  the  troops  of  the  enemy  had 
effected  a  union,  that  the  retreat  of  the  whole  American  detach- 
ment became  indispensable,  and  Major  Crutchfield  gave  an  order 
86 


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WH^i^  ?'  ' 

284 


SACKING    OF    HAMPTON. 


to  that  effect.  The  British  general  pursued  the  retreating 
column  about  two  miles,  without  effecting  any  purpose,  though 
the  latter  frequently  halted,  formed  behind  fences,  and  delivered 
a  smart  fire. 

The  American  loss  in  this  action  amounted  to  seven  killed 
twelve  wounded,  eleven  missing,  and  one  prisoner — total,  thirty 
one.  The  British  loss,  by  the  acknowledgment  of  many  of  theii 
officers,  amounted  to  ninety  killed,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty 
wounded — ^total,  two  hundred  and  ten.  Among  these  were  one 
colonel  and  one  captain  of  marines,  killed ;  and  three  lieutenants, 
wounded.  Admiral  Warren's  official  letter,  however,  allows  but 
five  killed,  thirty-three  wounded,  and  ten  missing — total,  forty 
eight. 

If  the  account  of  the  affair  at  Hampton  could  be  closed,  by 
no  further  reference  than  to  the  gallantry  of  Captains  Ashly, 
Gary,  Miller,  and  Brown,  of  th'^  militia;  Captain  Goodall,  of  the 
United  States  artillery,  and  Lieutenants  Anderson,  Armistead, 
and  Jones,  who  were  all  conspicuously  engaged  in  it,  a  painful 
recital  would  have  been  spared  of  occurrences  disgraceful  to  the 
arms  of  the  enemy,  unjustified  by  the  principles  of  civilized 
warfare,  and  unparalleled  even  by  the  enormities  committed  on 
the  north-western  frontier.  The  troops  under  Sir  Sidney,  and 
the  sailors  under  Admiral  Cockbum,  no  sooner  found  themselves 
in  possession  of  the  town  of  Hampton,  than  they  indulged  in  a 
system  of  pillage,  not  less  indiscriminate  than  that  which  had 
attended  the  visit  of  most  of  the  same  men  to  Havre  de  Grace. 
To  these  acts  of  cruelty  and  oppression  upon  the  unresisting  and 
innocent  inhabitants,  they  added  others  of  the  most  atrocious 
and  lawless  nature,  the  occurrence  of  which  has  been  i)roved  by 
the  solemn  affirmation  of  th  most  respectable  people  of  that 
country.  Age,  innocence,  nt  x,  could  protect  the  inhabitants, 
whose  inability  to  escape  obliged  them  to  throw  themselves  upon 
the  mercy  of  the  conquerors.  The  persons  of  the  women  were 
indiscriminately  violated.  The  brutal  desire  of  an  abandoned  and 
])rofligate  soldiery  were  gratified,  within  the  view  of  those  who 
alone  possessed  the  power  and  authority  to  restrain  them;  and 
many  of  the  unfortunate  females,  who  had  extricated  themselves 
from  one  party,  were  pursued,  overtaken,  and  possessed  by 


RETREAT    OF    THE    BRITISH. 


295 


another.  Wives  were  torn  from  the  sides  of  their  wounded  hus- 
bands; mothers  and  daughters  stripped  of  their  clothing  in  the 
presence  of  each  other ;  and  those  who  had  fled  to  the  river  side, 
and  as  a  last  refuge  had  plunged  into  the  water,  with  their  infant 
children  in  their  arms,  were  driven  again,  at  the  point '  f  the 
bayonet,  upon  the  shore,  where  neither  their  own  entreaties  and 
exertions,  nor  the  cries  of  their  offspring,  could  restrain  the 
remorseless  cruelty  of  the  insatiable  enemy,  who  paraded  the 
victim  of  his  lust  through  the  public  streets  of  the  town.  An 
old  man,  whose  infirmities  had  drawn  him  to  the  very  brink  of 
the  grave,  v/as  murdered  in  the  arms  of  his  wife,  almost  as  infirm 
as  himself,  and  her  remonstrance  was  followed  by  the  discharge  of 
a  pistol  into  her  breast  The  wounded  militia  who  had  crawled 
from  the  field  of  battli  to  the  military  hospital,  were  treated  with 
no  kind  of  tenderness,  even  by  the  enemy's  officers,  and  the 
common  wants  of  nature  were  rigorously  denied  to  them.  To 
these  transcendant  enormities,  were  added  the  wanton  and  pro- 
fligate destruction  not  only  of  the  medical  stores,  but  of  the 
physician's  drug-rooms  and  laboratories ;  from  which  only,  those 
who  had  been  wounded  in  battle,  and  those  upon  whose  persons 
these  outrages  had  been  committed,  could  obtain  that  assistance, 
Avithout  which,  they  must  inevitably  suffer  the  severest  pri 
vations. 

WO  days  and  nights  were  thus  consumed 
by  the  British  soldiers,  sailors,  and  marines, 
and  their  separate  commanders  were  all 
that  time  quartered  in  the  only  house,  the 
furniture  and  interior  decorations  of  which 
escaped  destruction.  On  the  morning  of 
the  27th,  at  sunrise,  apprehensions  being 
entertained  of  an  attack  from  the  neighbouring  militia,  whom,  it 
was  reasonably  conjectured,  the  recital  of  these  transactions  would 
rouse  into  immediate  action,  the  British  forces  were  ordered 
to  embark ;  and,  in  the  course  of  that  morning,  they  departed 
from  the  devoted  town,  which  will  immemorially  testify  to  the 
V'aprovoked  and  unrelenting  cruelty  of  the  British  troops.  They 
had  previously  carried  off"  the  ordnance  which  had  been  employed 
in  the  defense  of  the  town,  as  trophies  of  their  victory ;  but,  wher 


1-!' 


'286      ATROCIOUS    CONDUCT    OF    BRITISH    OFFICERS. 

they  determined  on  withdrawing  from  the  place,  they  moved 
away  with  such  precipitation,  that  several  hundred  weight  of 
provisions,  a  quantity  of  muskets  and  ammunition,  and  some  of 
their  men  were  left  behind,  and  captured  on  the  following  day 
by  Captain  Cooper's  cavalry.  Having  abandoned  their  intentions 
of  proceeding  to  another  attempt  on  the  defenses  of  Norfolk,  the 
whole  fleet  stood  down  to  a  position  at  New  Point  Comfort,  where 
they  proposed  watering,  previously  to  their  departure  from  the 
bay,  on  an  expedition  against  a  town  in  one  of  the  eastern  states. 

Such  was  the  agitation  of  the  public  mind  throughout  Vir- 
ginia, which  succeeded  the  circulation  of  the  account  of  the  as- 
sault on  Hampton,  that  representations  were  made  to  General 
Robert  R.  Taylor,  the  commandant  of  the  district,  of  the  neces- 
sity of  learning  from  the  commanders  of  the  British  fleet  and 
army,  whether  the  outrages  which  had  been  committed,  would 
be  avowed,  or  the  perpetrators  punished.  That  able  officer  im- 
mediately despatched  his  aid  to  Admiral  Warren  with  a  cartel 
for  the  exchange  of  prisoners,  and  a  protest  against  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  British  troops,  in  which  he  stated,  that  "  the  world 
would  suppose  those  acts  to  have  been  approved,  if  not  ex.cited, 
which  should  be  passed  over  with  impunity ;"  that  he  "  thought 
it  no  less  due  to  his  own  personal  honour,  than  to  that  of  his 
country,  to  repress  and  punish  every  excess ;"  that  "  it  would  de- 
pend on  him  (Warren)  whether  the  evils  inseparable  from  a  state 
of  war,  should,  in  future  operations,  be  tempered  by  the  mildness 
of  civilized  life,  or  under  the  admiral's  authority,  be  aggravated 
by  all  the  fiend-like  passions  which  could  be  instilled  into  them." 
To  this  protest  Admiral  Warren  replied,  that  he  would  refer  it  to 
Sir  Sidney  Beckwith,  to  whose  discretion  he  submitted  the  ne- 
cessity of  an  answer.  Sir  Sidney  not  only  freely  avowed,  but 
justified  the  commission  of  the  excesses  complained  of;  and  in- 
duced the  American  commander  to  believe  the  report  of  deserters, 
that  a  promise  had  been  made  to  the  fleet  of  individual  bounty, 
of  the  plunder  of  the  town,  and  of  permission  to  commit  the  same 
acts,  if  they  succeeded  in  the  capture  of  Norfolk. 

Sir  Sidney  stated  that  "  th£  excesses  at  Hampton^  of  which 
General  Taylor  complained,  were  occasioned  hy  a  proceeding  at 
C'^any  island.    That  on  the  recent  attack  on  that  place  the 


ATROCIOUS    CONDUCT    OP    BRITISH    OFFICERS.       '287 


troops  in  a  barge  which  had  been  sunk  by  the  fire  of  the  Ameri 
can  guns,  had  been  fired  on  by  a  party  of  Americans,  who  waded 
out  and  shot  these  poor  fellows  while  clinging  to  the  wreck  of  the 
boat,  and  that  with  a  feeling  natural  to  such  a  proceeding  the  men 
of  that  corps  landed  at  Hampton."  The  British  general  expressed 
also  a  wish  that  such  scenes  should  not  occur  again,  and  that  the 
subject  might  be  entirely  at  rest  The  American  general,  how- 
ever, alive  to  the  reputation  of  the  arms  of  his  country,  refused  to 
let  it  rest,  and  immediately  instituted  a  court  of  inquiry,  composed 
of  old  and  unprejudiced  officers.  The  result  of  a  long  and  care- 
ful investigation  which  was  forwarded  to  Sir  Sidney  Bockwith, 
was  that  none  of  the  enemy  had  been  fired  on  after  the  wreck 
of  the  barge,  except  a  soldier  who  had  attempted  to  escape  to  that 
division  of  the  British  troops  which  had  landed,  that  he  was  not 
killed,  and  that  so  far  from  shooting  either  of  those  unfortunate 
men,  the  American  troops  had  waded  out  to  their  assistance.  To 
this  report  Sir  Sidney  never  deemed  it  necessary  to  reply,  and 
the  outrages  at  Hampton  are  still  unatoned.  Many  of  the  un- 
happy victims  died  of  wounds  and  bruises  inflicted  on  them  in 
their  struggles  to  escape,  which  baffled  the  medical  skill  of  the 
surrounding  country. 


388 


EXPEDITION    AGAINST    PORTSMOUTH. 


Sf**^' 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Oycc«ticn«  o(  tftt  ^tUiti  in  Song  StflinD  jlovnt. 

ELINQUISHING  the  contemplated  attack 
upon  one  of  the  eastern  ports,  and  adopting 
a  plan  of  operations  against  the  towns  and 
harhours  to  the  southward  of  those  which  had 
already  been  assailed,  Admiral  Warren  de- 
tached the  largest  proportion  of  his  fleet, 
under  Rear-Admiral  Cockbum,  to  proceed  on  an  expedition 
against  Ocracoke  and  Portsmouth,  two  flourishing  harbours  in 
the  state  of  North  Carolina.  Early  in  July,  a  force  of  eleven 
sail  appeared  off  the  first  of  those  places,  and  on  the  13th  of  that 
month,  the  rear-admiral  crossed  the  bar  with  a  great  number  of 
barges,  attacked  two  letters  of  marque,  the  Anaconda  of  New 
York,  and  the  Atlas  of  Philadelphia,  and  after  being  gallantly 
resisted  by  the  small  crews  of  those  vessels,  carried  them  by 
boarding.  The  revenue  cutter,  which  was  then  in  the  harbour, 
effected  her  escape,  conveyed  intelligence  to  Newbern  of  the  ap- 
proach of  the  enemy,  and  thus  frustrated  the  remainder  of  the 
admiral's  plans.  About  three  thousand  men  were  then  landed 
at  Portsmouth,  where  they  destroyed  the  private  property  of  the 
inhabitants,  and  treated  the  place  witii  no  more  forbearance  than 
they  had  shown  at  Georgetown  and  Fredericktown,  The  col- 
lector of  the  customs  was  seized  and  taken  on  board  the  fleet,  and 


CAPTURE    OF    THE    ASP. 


889 


the  building  destroyed  in  which  his  office  was  contained.  After 
remaining  two  days  in  possession  of  these  places,  the  enemy  re- 
turned to  his  shipping,  and  not  feeling  himself  competent  to  the 
attack  on  Newborn,  now  that  its  citizens  were  preparing  to  receive 
him,  he  departed  with  his  squadron  from  Ocracoke,  and  sailed 
again  for  Chesapeake  bay. 

The  fleet,  which  had  been  keeping  up  the  blockade  in  those 
waters,  had  been  divided  by  Admiral  Warren,  and  the  different 
vessels  distributed  along  the  coast,  from  New  London  to  Cape 
Henry,  to  watch  the  entrances  to  the  harbours  of  Connecticut, 
New  York,  and  the  Delaware.  In  the,  Chesapeake,  no  further 
assaults  were  made  upon  the  villages;  but  the  farmhouses,  the 
neighbouring  country  seats,  and  the  stock  upon  the  lands,  and 
the  numerous  islands  which  could  be  approached  by  the  smallest 
barges,  were  indiscriminately  plundered.  Such  islands  wero 
taken  possession  of  as  afforded  quarters  for  the  troops,  and  fre- 
quent excursions  made  from  them  against  the  defenseless  land* 
holders,  in  their  vicinity. 

N  the  14th,  the  United  States  schooners  Scorpion 
and  Asp,  being  under  way  from  the  mouth  of 
Yeocomico  river,  were  pursued  by  two  of  the 
enemy's  sloops  of  war,  and,  finding  it  impossible 
for  both  vessels  to  escape  through  the  bay,  the 
Scorpion  continued  her  course,  while  the  Asp,  a  dull 
sailing  vessel,  returned  to  the  river,  and  was  run  into 
Kinsale  creek  by  her  commander,  Sailingmaster  Sppoumey. 
The  enemy's  vessels  anchored  near  the  bar,  and  despatciK  d  three 
barges,  filled  with  armed  men,  to  assault  and  carry  her.  As  these 
were  approaching,  Mr.  Segourney  opened  a  well-directed  fire, 
and  compelled  them,  in  a  little  time,  to  return.  Reinforced,  how- 
ever, by  two  other  barges,  manned  in  like  manner,  they  again 
approached  the  schooner,  and  carried  her  by  boarding,  though 
obstinately  resisted  by  her  little  crew,  to  whom  they  refused  to 
show  quarter.  Her  commander  had  been  shot  through  the  body 
by  a  musket  ball,  and  was  sitting  on  the  deck  against  the  mast, 
when  they  carried  her,  and  brought  down  her  colours.  In  this 
attitude,  and  suffering  under  the  severity  of  his  wound,  he  was, 
at  that  moment,  animating  his  men  to  repel  the  boarders,  when 

2B  37 


•290 


THE    YANKEE    AND    EAGLE. 


I 


one  of  the  B/.tish  marines  stepped  up  and  shot  him  through  the 
head.  He  expired  instantly,  and  the  next  officer,  Mr.  M'Clintock, 
seeing  what  would  be  the  probable  fate  of  the  whole  crew,  ordered 
his  men  to  save  themselves  by  flight.  Those  who  had  not  pre- 
viously been  wounded,  reached  the  shore  in  safety;  and  the 
enemy  having  set  fire  to  the  schooner,  returned  to  the  squadron, 
though  not  before  they  had  been  fired  upon  by  a  collection  of 
militia,  who  retook  the  vessel,  and  extinguished  the  flames. 

The  Poicticrs,  seventy-four,  still  commanded  by  Sir  John  P. 
Beresford,  had  been  stationed  for  several  weeks  at  Sandy  Hook, 
for  the  purpose  of  blockading  the  harbour  of  New  York.  Numbers 
of  small  vessels  had  been  daily  captured  by  her,  and  one  of  them, 
the  sloop  Eagle,  was  converted  into  a  tender  to  the  line  of  battle 
ship,  manned  with  two  officers  and  eleven  marines,  and  equipped 
with  a  thirty-two  brass  howitzer.  She  was  constantly  employed 
in  the  pursuit  and  capture  of  the  coasters,  and  had  already  com- 
mitted various  depredations.  Commodore  Jacob  Lewis,  who  com- 
manded a  flotilla  of  thirty  sail  of  gun-boats,  determined  on  pro- 
tecting the  fishing  boats  and  river  craft,  by  the  capture  of  this 
tender.  He  accordingly  hired  a  fishing  smack  called  the  Yankee, 
and  placing  about  thirty  men  on  board,  under  one  of  his  sailing- 
masters,  (Percival,)  and,  supplying  him  with  several  articles  of 
live  stock,  gave  him  instructions  to  proceed  from  the  hook  in  the 
direction  of  the  banks,  with  his  armed  men  concealed  in  the  cabin 
and  fore  peak.  The  sloop  Eagle,  upon  discovering  her  at  the 
hook,  immediately  gave  chase;  and,  on  seeing  the  live  stock, 
ordered  the  man  at  the  helm,  Mr.  Percival,  who,  with  two  men 
only  on  deck,  was  dressed  in  the  apparel  of  a  fisherman,  to  steer 
for  the  seventy-four,  then  lying  at  a  distance  of  five  miles.  The 
fishing  smack  had  her  helm  immediately  put  up  for  that  appa- 
rent purpose,  and,  being  by  this  means  brought  along  side,  and 
within  three  yards  of  the  Eagle,  her  commander  gave  the  signal, 
•'  Lawrence,^'  and  her  men  rushed  up  with  such  rapidity,  and 
discharged  so  brisk  and  unexpected  a  fire,  that  the  crew  of  the 
Eagle  became  panic-struck,  and  many  of  them  ran  below.  Her 
commander  Sailingmaster  Morris,  and  one  marine  were  killed, 
and  Midshipman  Price,  and  another  mortally  wounded.  Per- 
civaVs  men  were  prepared  for  a  second  discharge,  when  a  sailor 


BLOCKADE    OF    i.EW    LONDON. 


301 


on  the  enemy's  deck  was  seen  creeping  to  the  howitzer  with  a 
lighted  match,  one  of  the  crew  of  the  Yankee  levelled  his  mus- 
ket and  shot  him  in  the  breast,  and  in  a  second  after,  the  flag  of 
the  Eagle  came  down.  The  sloop  and  the  prisoners  were  then 
taken  into  the  hook,  and  delivered  to  the  commodore,  who  pro 
ceoded  with  them  to  New  York,  where  Morris  and  Price,  who 
died  immediately  after  landing,  were  buried  by  the  naval  and 
military  authorities.  Mr.  Percival  was  promoted  to  the  new 
sloop  of  war  Peacock,  and  the  brass  howitzer  was  transferred  to 
the  quarter  deck  of  the  commodore's  flag-boat. 

In  consequence  of  Commodore  Decatur's  having  proceeded  with 
the  frigates  United  States  and  Macedonian,  and  the  sloop  of  war 
Hornet,  through  the  sound  to  get  to  sea  from  the  eastward,  and 
of  his  having  been  driven  with  his  squadron  into  New  London 
by  a  superior  detachment  of  the  enemy's  ships,  that  port  was 
rigorously  blockaded  by  the  Ramilies  seventy-four,  two  frigates, 
and  several  smaller  vessels,  under  Commodore  Sir  Thomas  M. 
Hardy.    Every  effort  to  get  to  sea  under  the  auspices  of  dark 
nights  and  favourable  winds,  having  proved  unavailing  in  conse 
quence  of  the  enemy's  being  continually  apprized  of  the  designs 
of  the  American  commodore,  he  was  blockaded  for  many  months 
without  a  prospect  of  escaping,  either  by  the  ordinary  channel  or 
by  the  sound.    Between  detached  parties  from  each  squadron 
several  aflFairs  of  minor  importance  took  place  during  the  block- 
ade, and  in  one  of  them  Midshipman  Ten  Eyck,  of  the  United 
States  frigate,  made  prisoners  of  two  lieutenants,  two  warrant 
officers,  and  five  seamen,  in  a  house  on  Gardner's  island.     In- 
cursions into  the  neighbouring  states  were  frequent  from  the 
British  forces ;  but  though  extensive  numbers  of  shipping  were 
destroyed,  the  conduct  of  the  sailors  and  marines  under  Sir 
Thomas  Hardy  was  not  marked  by  the  indiscriminate  commis- 
sion of  unrestrained  and  wanton  outrage,  of  which  there  were  too 
many  incidents  on  the  coast  to  the  southward,  and  the  houses  of 
the  different  villages,  as  well  as  individual  property,  were  there- 
fore, almost  invariably  respected.     The  general  deportment  of 
Commodore  Hardy  was  that  of  a  brave,  humane,  and  gallant 
enemy,  and  had  his  conduct  been  emulated  by  other  command 
srs.  the  horrors,  and  distressed  conditions  of  a  state  of  war  would 


209 


EXPEDITION   TO    8AYBR00K. 


have  been  ameliorated  on  both  sides,  and  the  necessity  of  many 
instances  of  retaliatory  measures  might  never  have  existed. 

During  the  winter  months  of  1813-14,  scarcely  an  event  of 
consequence  took  place  on  any  part  of  the  coast,  or  at  any  of  the 
shores  of  the  bay  and  rivers  in  which  the  enemy's  vessels  were 
anchored.  The  town  of  Killingworth,  alone,  had  an  opportunity 
of  repelling  three  or  four  distinct  attempts  to  land,  and  of  beating 
off  superior  numbers  in  British  barges. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1814,  however,  the  enemy  made  several 
movements  indicative  of  his  intentions  to  pursue  an  active  course 
of  warfare.  On  the  7th  of  April  about  two  hundred  sailors  and 
marines  entered  Connecticut  river  in  a  number  of  barges  and 
landed  at  the  town  of  Saybrook,  where  they  spiked  the  guns  at 
a  small  battery  and  destroyed  many  trading  vessels.  Thence 
they  ascended  the  river  to  Brockway's  ferry,  destroyed  all  the 
shipping  there,  and  amused  themselves,  without  any  apprehen- 
sions of  an  attack,  upwards  of  twenty-four  hours.  In  the  mean 
time  a  body  of  militia  had  assembled,  under  command  of  a  briga- 
dier-general of  Connecticut;  one  hundred  men  and  several  field- 
pieces  were  stationed  on  the  opposite  shore,  and  two  pieces  and 
a  party  of  men  on  the  ferry  side  below ;  Captain  Jones,  and  Lieu- 
tenant-Commandant Biddle,  of  the  Hornet,  arrived  witii  a  detach- 
ment of  sailors  from  the  squadron ;  and  every  thing  was  arranged 
for  the  capture  of  the  whole  party  of  the  enemy.  The  success 
of  the  plan  was  inevitable ;  the  word  only  of  the  general  com- 
manding was  waited  for,  and  as  he  was  making  other  arrange- 
ments than  those  adopted  by  these  experienced  officers,  the  enemy 
drifted  down  the  river,  with  muffled  oars,  under  cover  of  a  dark 
night,  cheered  loudly  when  they  had  passed  the  town  of  Say- 
brook,  and  escaped  to  the  squadron  after  destroying  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars  worth  of  shipping.  Several  shot  were  fired  after 
them,  but  without  effect. 

About  this  time  the  Liverpool  Packet  privateer  was  cruising, 
with  great  success,  against  the  American  commerce  in  the  sound, 
and  had  already  annoyed  the  coasting  trade  to  an  enormous  ex- 
tent. Unless  this  cruiser  was  driven  from  the  sound  no  coaster 
could  sail  from  one  port  to  another,  with  any  assurance  of  safety. 
Commodore  Lewis  determined  on  an  expedition  against  her.  He 


COMMODORE    LEWIS'S   EXPEDITION. 


293 


sailed  with  a  detachment,  consisting  of  thirteen  of  his  gun-boats, 
drove  the  privateer  from  the  mouth  of  the  harbours  in  the  sound, 
and  proceeded  to  Black  Rock,  New  Haven,  and  Saybrook. 

At  the  latter  place  he  anchored  on  the  23d  of  May,  and  found 
upwards  of  forty  sail  of  coasting  vessels  lying  there,  bound 
eastward,  but  the  masters  of  which  were  fearful  of  the  privateer 
and  the  enemy's  barges.  The  commodore  was  applied  to  for 
convoy ;  and,  though  he  knew  not  whether  he  could  yield  any 
kind  of  protection  against  a  frigate,  a  corvette,  and  an  armed 
sloop,  at  that  moment  in  the  passage  before  New  London,  he 
took  the  coasters  under  convoy,  and  agreed  to  throw  himself  be- 
tween them  and  the  enemy.  On  the  25th  he  accordingly  sailed 
with  the  convoy  bound  for  New  London,  and  at  5  p.  m.  came  to 
action  with  a  frigate,  a  sloop  of  war,  and  a  tender,  and  continued 
the  engagement  until  all  the  coasters  had  safely  passed  the  ene- 
my and  arrived  at  New  London.  This  being  done,  although 
the  whole  object  of  his  attack  was  achieved.  Commodore  Lewis 
determined  upon  trying  the  further  effect  of  his  hot  shot.  Tho 
hoats  were  each  supplied  with  a  furnace;  and,  whilst  they 
were  pouring  hot  balls  into  the  enemy's  sides,  and  frequently 
setting  him  on  fire,  they  received  in  return,  scarcely  a  shot  from 
either  of  his  vessels.  Gun-boat  No.  6  was  alone  injured ;  and, 
being  struck  between  wind  and  water,  was  immediately  grounded, 
to  prevent  her  sinking. 

The  sloop  of  war  had  by  this  time  withdrawn  from  tho  engage- 
ment; and  the  fire  of  the  gun-boats  was  principally  directed 
against  the  frigate.  She  was  observed  several  times  to  be  on 
fire;  one  shot  passed  through  her  very  near  the  magazine,  seven- 
teen of  her  men  were  already  killed,  and  a  lieutenant  and  a  great 
number  of  men  wounded ;  and  the  captain  was  on  the  point  of 
surrendering,  when  he  discovered  that  the  gun-boats  had  ceased 
firing.  The  night  closed  in  immediately,  was  excessively  dark, 
and  the  commodore  found  himself  obliged  to  anchor  his  boats, 
and  reconnoiter  the  enemy  until  next  morning.  He  intended 
to  board  the  sloop,  but  she  wto  stationed  between  the  two  ships, 
and  that  project  was  therefore  useless.  At  daylight,  observing  the 
enemy  towing  away  their  vessels  and  retreating,  he  instantly 
made  signal  for  pursuit ;  but  the  report  of  the  cannonade  had 

3b2 


ml 

m 

M 


la;* ; 


If.' 


I 

I 


294 


UTILITV  07  GUN-BOATS. 


brought  the  whole  British  force,  consisting  of  seven  large  sail, 
to  their  assistance,  and  the  commodore  abandoned  his  intention 
of  renewing  the  action,  and  proceeded  up  the  sound  to  New 
York,  with  the  enemy  in  his  rear,  as  far  as  Faulkner's  island. 
The  loss  on  board  the  flotilla  was  one  man,  by  the  recoiling  of 
a  gun.  The  frigate  was  supposed  to  be  the  Maidstone  of  thirty- 
eight,  and  mounting  forty-nine  guns ;  but  several  sailors  who 
deserted  from  her  and  were  in  this  action,  reported  her  to  be  the 
Hotspur  of  the  same  force.  The  consequences  of  this  engage- 
ment, and  that  which  took  place  below  Crany  island,  have  oc- 
casioned much  speculation  about  the  utility  of  gun-boats.  In 
each  instance  it  was  undoubtedly  proved,  that,  under  such  cir- 
cumstances as  attended  them,  the  gun-boats  are  capable  of  great 
annoyance  to  the  largest  ships  of  war.  Commodore  Lewis,  whose 
activity  and  enterprise  rendered  him  of  all  other  men  capable 
of  mancEuvering  them  to  advantage,  saved  an  immense  amount 
of  property  to  the  mercantile  interest  of  the  country,  by  his  re- 
peated cruises  with  them  in  and  near  the  sound. 

But  the  operations  of  the  immense  naval  armaments,  which 
were  maintained  by  the  enemy  before  the  ports  of  New  York, 
Boston,  New  London,  and  the  entrance  to  the  sound,  were  not 
to  be  checked  by  a  flotilla  of  boats,  however  well  appointed, 
consisting  in  all  of  but  thirty  sail ;  and  the  whole  eastern  coast 
was  therefore  exposed  to  the  ravages  of  the  invaders.  The  towns 
and  villages  there  were  as  exposed  and  defenseless  as  those  to 
the  south ;  but  a  degree  of  forbearance  was  manifested  by  the 
commander  on  this  station,  which  prevented  the  commission  of 
such  extensive  depredations.  Yet  an  insatiable  thirst  for  plun- 
der, induced  many  of  the  British  cruisers  to  seek  the  destruction 
of  every  species  of  public  property,  of  the  most  flourishing  manu- 
facturing establishments,  and  of  vessels  carrying  on  a  trade  be- 
tween the  eastern  and  other  ports;  and  the  cupidity  of  the  sailors 
and  marines  frequently  led  to  the  sequestration  of  private  pro- 
perty. At  the  towns  of  Wareham  and  Scituate,  they  burned  all 
the  vessels  at  their  moorings ;  and  at  the  former,  which  they  ap- 
proached under  a  flag  of  truce,  they  set  fire  to  an  extensive  cot- 
ton manufactory.  But  at  a  place  called  Booth  bay,  they  met 
with  a  spirited  opposition ;  and  in  several  desperate  attacks,  re- 


CAPTURE  OF  MOOSE  ISLAND. 


295 


peated  on  different  days,  and  with  various  numbers,  they  were 
repulsed  with  considerable  loss,  by  the  militia  of  the  neighbour- 
hood. 

About  the  month  of  July  the  blockading  squadron,  under  Sir 
Thomas  Hardy,  received  instructions  to  assail  and  take  posscsr 
sion,  in  his  Britannic  majesty's  name,  of  Moose  island,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Kobbeskook  river,  opposite  to  the  province  of  New 
Brunswick,  and  on  the  western  side  of  Passamaquoddy  bay.  This 
bay  was  adjudged,  by  the  British  ministers,  to  be  within  the 
boundary  of  their  possessions  in  North  America ,  and  after  the 
capture  of  Moose  island,  their  forces  were  directed  to  occupy  all 
the  towns  and  islands  within  its  limits.  On  the  11th  of  that  month. 
Sir  Thomas  proceeded  with  the  Ramilies,  seventy-four,  one 
sixty-gun  ship,  three  sloops-of-war,  and  three  transports,  con- 
taining between  fifteen  hundred  and  two  thousand  troops,  with 
an  intention  of  surprising  the  town  of  Eastport,  containing  about 
one  thousand  inhabitants,  and  situated  upon  Moose  island. 

Against  this  force,  no  kind  of  opposition  could  be  made  by  a 
small  garrison,  containing  but  fifty-nine  men,  forty-eight  of  whom 
only  were  effectives;  and  Major  Putnam  did  not  attempt  to 
molest  the  troops,  who  had  already  landed.  Formal  possession 
was  then  taken  of  the  whole  island ;  the  officers  in  the  garrison 
paroled,  the  privates  conveyed  to  the  squadron,  the  fort,  which 
then  mounted  but  six  small  cannon,  enlarged,  refitted,  and  the 
battery  extended  to  sixty  pieces;  and  a  proclamation  issued  by 
Sir  Thomas  Hardy  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Andrew  Pilkington, 
in  which  they  declared  all  the  islands  to  have  been  surrendered 
by  the  capture  of  Eastport;  allowed  seven  days  residence  to 
such  inhabitants  as  should  refuse  to  swear  allegiance  to  his 
Britannic  majesty ;  and  appointed  a  day  on  which  they  were  to 
assemble  for  that  purpose.  About  two-thirds  of  the  people  sub- 
mitted to  these  terms,  under  an  expectation  of  retaining  their 
privileges ;  but,  in  the  month  of  August,  the  province  of  New 
Brunswick,  in  coancil,  ordered  that  the  inhabitants  of  Moose 
island  should  not  be  entitled  to  the  rights  of  their  other  subjects, 
notwithstanding  their  oath  of  allegiance ;  but  that  they  should 
he  treated  as  a  conquered  people,  and  placed  under  the  control 
of  the  military  authority.    Eastport  was  soon  after  well  fortified. 


*296 


DEFENSE    OF   STONINGTON. 


T* 

•'!" 


and  remained  in  possession  of  the  British  until  the  conclusion 
of  the  war ;  before  which  period,  howevfer,  their  garrison  was 
frequently  weakened  by  desertions  of  large  bodies  of  their  troops ; 
the  officers  were  often  compelled  to  perform  the  duties  of  senti- 
nels; and  the  difficulties  of  subsisting  the  army  and  the  people 
daily  increasing  by  the  extreme  scarcity  of  provisions. 

Having  thus  secured  the  possession  of  Moose  island,  and  pro- 
vided for  its  defense  against  any  attempt  to  recover  it  by  the 
Americans,  Sir  Thomas  sailed  to  his  old  station,  before  New 
London.  On  the  9th  of  August  he  made  signal  for  the  Pactolus 
frigate,  forty-four,  the  Terror  bomb  ship,  and  the  Despatch  brig 
of  twenty  guns,  to  weigh  anchor,  and  sail  with  the  Ramilies  to 
the  attack  of  the  town  of  Stonington,  which  the  commodore  had 
been  ordered  to  reduce  to  ashes.  The  appearance  of  this  for 
midable  force  before  a  town,  which  possessed  but  weak  and 
inadequate  means  of  defense,  excited  an  alarm  among  the 
inhabitants,  which  the  message  of  Commodore  Hardy,  to  move 
off  the  unoffending  people  of  the  place,  was  not  calculated  to 
subdue.  But,  having  complied  with  the  terms  of  the  commo- 
dore's note,  and  disposed  of  the  women  and  children,  they  re- 
paired to  a  small  battery,  which  had  been  erected,  a  few  weeks 
before,  and  in  which  were  mounted  two  eighteen-pounders  and 
one  six.  Those  who  had  been  drilled  as  artillerists  were  sta/. 
tioned  at  these  pieces;  the  flag  was  nailed  to  a  staff,  and  a 
small  breastwork,  which  had  been  hastily  thrown  up,  was  lined 
with  musketry.       ' 

Thus  arranged,  the  handful  of  militia  belonging  to  Stonington 
awaited  the  approach  of  the  enemy  with  painful  anxiety.  Ex- 
presses were  forwarded  to  General  Gushing,  of  the  United  States 
army,  commanding  2,t  New  London,  for  a  supply  of  men  and 
ammunition ;  and,  to  the  neighbouring  districts,  for  a  hasty  levy 
of  militia. 

At  eight  in  the  evening,  five  barges  and  a  large  launch,  filled 
with  men,  and  armed  \nth  nine-pounder  carronades,  approached 
the  shore,  under  cover  of  a  heavy  fire  of  round,  canister,  and 
grape  shot,  and  a  discharge  of  shells,  carcasses,  and  rockets.  The 
Americans,  reserving  their  fire  until  the  barges  were  within 
short  grape  distance,  opened  their  two  eighteen-pounders  upon, 


DEFENSE    OF    STONINGTON. 


29? 


and  compelled  them  to  retire  out  of  reach  of  the  battery.  The 
enemy  then  attempted  to  land  at  the  east  end  of  the  town,  at  a 
point  which  they  supposed  to  be  the  most  defenseless.  This 
being  discovered  by  the  militia  artillerists,  the  six-pounder  was 
immediately  transported  to  that  side  of  the  town,  and  the  barges 
were  a  second  time  compelled  to  retire.  They  returned  to  their 
shipping,  with  a  determination  to  renew  their  attack  with  more 
vigour  at  the  da^vn  of  the  following  morning.  The  bombardment, 
nevertheless,  continued  until  midnight. 

Before  morning  the  enemy's  squadron  was  augmented  by  the 
arrival  of  the  Nimrod,  eigh teen-gun  brig,  and  at  the  dawn  of  day 
the  different  vessels  were  stationed  nearer  to  the  town,  the 
Despatch  being  within  pistol-shot  of  the  battery.  The  barges 
approached  the  shore  in  larger  numbers  and  met  with  as  signal 
a  repulse  as  on  the  preceding  night.  One  of  them  was  shattered 
to  pieces  by  the  four-pounder  on  the  east  side  of  the  town,  whilst 
a  cannonade  was  kept  up  between  the  eighteen-pounder  battery 
and  the  gun-brig,  which  resulted  in  her  expulsion  from  her  an- 
chorage She  had  received  several  shot  between  wind  and 
water,  and  was  obliged  to  haul  off  and  repair ;  the  barges  again 
returned  to  the  shipping,  and  the  five  vessels  drifted  out  of  reach 
of  the  battery,  made  new  anchorage,  and  continued  to  bombard 
the  town  daring  that  and  the  following  day.  On  the  l'2th  Com- 
modore Hardy,  relinquishing  any  further  attempt  to  reduce  the 
town  to  ashes,  and  having  already  lost  twenty-one  men  killed, 
and  upwards  of  fifty  wounded,  ordered  his  squadron  to  weigh 
anchor  and  proceed  up  Fisher's  island  sound.  The  inhabitants 
of  Stonington  were  released  from  their  apprehensions  about  the 
safety  of  their  dwellings,  and  the  women  .and  children,  some  time 
after,  restored  to  their  homes. 

Notwithstanding  the  bombardment  had  been  protracted  to 
three  successive  days,  and  upwards  of  sixty  tons  of  metal  hud 
been  thrown  upon  the  shore,  not  a  man  of  the  militia  was  killed, 
and  the  number  of  wounded  did  not  exceed  six.  Among  them  was 
Lieutenant  Hough,  who,  as  well  as  Colonel  Randal  and  Lieutenant 
Lathrop,  greatly  contributed,  by  their  activity  and  skill,  to  the 
repulse  of  the  enemy.  Stonington  contained,  at  the  time  of  the 
attack,  about  one  hundred  houses;  forty  of  these  were  injured  by 

S8 


298 


VILLAGES    OCCUPIED    BY    THE     BRITISH. 


r'      • 


I 


i  ml: 

,4  «J,  > 


the  shot— but  ten  only  materially — and  but  two  or  threp  entire]? 
destroyed.  , 

OT  content  with  possessing  Moose  island,  and 
other  islands  of  the  bay,  the  British  claimed, 
as  a  colony,  all  that  part  of  the  difstrict  of 
Maine  lying  to  the  west  of,  and  between  Pe- 
nobscot river  and  Passamaquoddy  bay,  and 
instructions  were  also  forwarded  to  Sir  John 
C.  Sherbrooke,  the  governor  of  Nova  Scotia, 
and  Rear- Admiral  Griffith,  commanding  the  naval  forces  within 
that  province,  to  take  possession  of  all  that  territory.  These 
commanders  entered  the  Penobscot  river  on  the  1st  of  September; 
appeared  before  Castine,  from  which  the  garrison  fled,  after  blow- 
ing up  the  fort,  and  which  the  British  immediately  occupied.  A 
proclamation  was  then  issued  by  the  governor  and  the  admiral, 
in  which,  they  claimed  as  the  territory  of  his  Britannic  majesty, 
that  part  of  the  province  of  Maine  east  of  the  Penobscot,  in  which 
there  were  more  than  forty  villages,  and  upwards  of  thirty  thou- 
sand inhabitants.  After  possessing  Castine  many  of  these  villages 
were  gradually  occupied,  and  ordinances  were  established  for  the 
civil  and  military  government  of  the  people.  Castine,  also, 
remained  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy  until  the  conclusion  of  hos- 
tilities. 

The  United  States  frigate  Adams,  Captain  Morris,  had  arrived 
in  the  Penobscot  from  a  successful  cruise,  a  few  days  before  the 
occupation  of  Castine,  and  having  run  upon  the  rocks  near  that 
port,  was  obliged  to  be  hove  down  at  Hampden,  thirty-five  miles 
up  the  river,  to  have  her  damages  repaired.  On  the  3d  of  Sep- 
tember the  British  sloop  of  war  Sylph  of  twenty-two  guns,  the 
Peruvian  of  eighteen,  and  one  transport  and  ten  barges,  ascended 
the  river,  manned  in  all  with  about  one  thousand  men  from  Castine, 
under  command  of  Commodore  Barrie,  with  a  determination  to 
capture  the  frigate.  Captain  Morris  erected  several  batteries  on 
eminences  near  his  vessel,  supplied  the  militia,  who  were  with- 
out arms,  with  the  ship's  muskets,  and  made  every  preparation  to 
repulse  the  enemy.  Notwithstanding  these  judicious  arrange- 
ments, and  the  readiness  of  the  ship's  crew  to  resist  the  enemy's 
attempts,  the  militia  could  not  be  brought  to  oppose  an  inferior 


ESCAPE    OF   CAPTAIN    MORRIS. 


299 


number  of  British  regulars ;  and,  flying  precipitately  from  the 
ground,  left  no  other  alternative  to  Captain  Morris  than  to  sur- 
render his  crew,  or  destroy  the  Adams  and  retreat  to  Bangor  or 
Kennebeck.  Under  the  direction  of  Lieutenant  Wadsworth  of 
the  ship,  the  sailors  and  marines  retired  in  good  order  over  a 
bridge  which  crossed  a  deep  creek ;  but  Captain  Morris  and  a 
few  men  who  remained  to  set  fire  to  the  vessel,  having  succeeded 
in  blowing  her  up,  was  cut  off  from  this  retreat,  and  compelled 
to  plunge  into  the  river  and  effect  his  escape  by  swimming.  Dis- 
appointed in  the  object  of  their  expedition,  the  British  returned 
to  Castine,  and  conducted  an  incursive  warfare  against  the  towns 
in  the  vicinity  of  that  port. 


\> 


88 


in 


300 


CRUISE    OF    THE     ARGUS. 


hi 


. .  f  I 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

I  HE  government  of  the  United  States  having 
deemed  it  expedient,  in  the  spring  of  1813, 
to  send  an  ambassador  to  France,  at  wliich 
court  they  were  not  then  represented ;  the 
American  gun-brig  Argus,  Lieutenant-Com 
mandant  William  H.  Allen,  of  eighteen 
guns,  was  despatched  to  L' Orient  with  Mr. 
Crawford,  the  minister-plenipotentiary  ap- 
pointed to  negotiate  a  treaty  of  commerce 
with  that,  power.  After  having  landed  the 
minister  she  was  ordered  to  cruise  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  British  channel,  where  she 
arrived  about  the  middle  of  June,  and  continued  to  cruise  until 
the  same  time  in  August.  During  this  period  she  captured  in 
St.  George's  channel  upwards  of  twenty  vessels,  coasters  and 
others,  and  excited  a  great  degree  of  alarm  among  the  towns  upon 
the  English  coast.  In  consequence  of  her  activity  in  making 
captures,  and  the  danger  to  British  vessels  in  passing  through  the 
channel,  the  insurance  upon  coasters  could  no  longer  be  obtained 
in  England,  but  at  an  amount  very  far  exceeding  the  double  pre- 
mium ;  and  though  numerous  vessels  of  war,  of  all  rates  and  de- 
scriptions were  floating  at  the  docks,  the  Argus  was  allowed  to 
maintain  her  cruise  in  this  neighbourhood  for  two  full  months. 
The  attention  of  the  admiralty  was  at  length,  however,  awakened; 
and,  on  the  12th  of  August,  the  sloop  of  war,  the  Pelican,  Cap- 
tain J.  F.  Maples,  of  twenty-one  carriage  guns,  was  ordered  to 
cruise  in  search  of  the  hostile  stranger.   On  the  14th,  at  four  a.  m 


CRUISE    OF    THE    ARGUS. 


301 


\ 


Cruise  of  the  Argui. 

uy  the  light  of  a  schooner  then  on  fire,  the  two  vessels  were 
brought  in  sight  of  each  other.     The  Argus  immediately  close 
hauled  on  the  starboard  tack,  and  made  preparations  to  receive 
the  enemy.     Failing  in  every  attempt  to  obtain  the  weathei 
gage,  Captain  Allen,  at  half-past  five,  shortened  sail,  and  waited 
for  the  Pelican  to  close.     A  few  minutes  afterwards,  the  Pelican 
displayed  her  colours ;  the  Argus  hoisted  the  American  flag,  wore 
round,  and  within  grape  distance,  gave  her  a  larboard  broadside; 
which  being  returned,  the  action  commenced  within  the  range 
of  musketry.     At  the  first  fire  from  the  Pelican,  Captain  Allen 
fell.  He  was  wounded  severely  in  the  leg,  but  remained  on  deck 
until  several  broadsides  were  exchanged ;  when,  being  quite  ex- 
hausted by  the  excessive  loss  of  blood,  he  yielded  the  command 
of  the  An vus  to  Lieutenant  Watson,  and  was  taken  below.   Mean- 
time the  Pelican  shot  away  the  main  braces,  the  spring  stay,  gaff, 
and  trysail-mast,  of  the  Argus.     At.  twelve  minutes  past  six,  her 
spritsail-yard,  and  most  of  the  standing  rigging  on  the  larboard 
side  of  the  foremast,  were  lost ;  and  Lieutenant  Watson  received 
a  wound  in  the  head,  which  made  it  necessary  that  he  also 
should  be  carried  below.     The  command  of  the  Argus  now 
devolved  on  Lieutenant  William  H.  Allen  Jr.,  whose  unremitted 
exertions  frequently  defeated  the  enemy's  attempts  to  get  into  a 
raking  position.     At  sixteen  minutes  past  six,  the  Pelican  edged 


30% 


SURRENDER    OF    THE     ARGUS. 


m 


m.' 


off,  with  an  intention  of  getting  under  the  stern  of  the  Argus,  but 
Lieutenant  Allen,  by  luffing  close  to,  with  his  main  topsail  aback 
and  giving  her  a  raking  broadside,  completely  frustrated  this  at- 
tempt. But,  in  two  minutes  after,  she  shot  away  the  preventer 
main  braces  and  main  topsail  of  the  Argus,  deprived  her  of  the 
use  of  her  after  sail,  and  thus  causing  her  to  fall  off  before  the 
wind,  succeeded  in  passing  her  stem,  and  ranged  up  on  her  star- 
board  side.  At  twenty-five  minutes  past  six,  the  Argus  having 
lost  her  wheel  ropes  and  running  rigging  of  every  description 
became  entirely  unmanageable ;  and  the  Pelican,  not  being  ma- 
terially  damaged,  had  an  opportunity  of  choosing  her  position. 
She  continued  her  fire  on  the  starboard  quarter  of  the  Argus, 
until  half-past  six,  when  Lieutenant  Watson  returned  to  the 
deck,  and  made  preparations  to  board  the  enemy.  The  shattered 
condition  of  the  brig  rendered  that  effort  impossible ;  and  the 
Pelican  took  a  position  on  her  stern,  and  gave  her  a  raking  fire 
for  eight  minutes,  when  she  passed  up,  and  placing  herself  on 
the  starboard  bow,  continued  a  raking  fire  there  until  forty. 
seven  minutes  past  six.  All  this  while  the  commander  of  the 
Argus  was  endeavouring,  without  effect,  to  bring  her  guns  to 
bear ;  and,  having  nothing  but  musketry  to  oppose  to  the  galling 
and  effective  fire  of  the  enemy,  he  determined  on  surrenderinff 
the  brig :  a  measure,  which,  in  consequence  of  the  loss  of  several 
officers  and  many  of  the  men,  of  the  shattered  state  of  the  hull 
and  rigging,  and  of  the  impossibility,  under  these  disadvantages, 
of  getting  otherwise  out  of  the  combat,  he  would  have  been 
warranted  in  adopting  much  sooner.  At  the  moment  her  flaff 
came  down,  the  Pelican  was  pressing  to  board  her ;  and,  being 
close  along  side,  immediately  took  possession.  Her  loss  amounted 
to  six  killed,  and  seventeen  wounded ;  five  of  the  latter  died  soon 
after  the  engagement.  The  loss  of  the  Pelican  was  three  men 
killed,  and  five  only  wounded. 

Captain  Allen  submitted  to  an  amputation  of  his  leg,  but  every 
means  of  restoration  to  his  health  proved  ineffectual ;  and,  on 
the  18th,  three  days  after  the  action,  he  expired  in  Mill  Prison 
hospital,  whence  he  and  Midshipmen  Delphy,  who  had  both  his 
legs  shot  from  his  body,  at  the  same  instant,  and  Edwards  were 
buried  with  the  usual  honours  of  war. 


ENTERPRISE    AND    BOXER. 


303 


Several  United  States  sloops  of  war  were,  about  this  period, 
upon  the  stocks ;  and,  it  being  necessary  that  their  building  and 
equipment  should  be  superintended  by  experienced  naval  officers, 
commanders  were  assigned  to  them,  previously  to  their  being 
launched  into  their  destined  element.  To  restore  to  the  American 
naval  list  the  name  of  a  vessel  which  had  been  captured  by  a 
superior  force,  after  the  moment  of  victory  over  another  vessel, 
one  of  these  was  ordered  to  be  called  the  Wasp,  and  the  com- 
mand given  to  Lieutenant-Commandant  Blakely,  at  that  time  of 
the  gun-brig  Enterprise.* 

By  this  transfer  the  command  of  the  latter  vessel  devolved  on 
Lieutenant-Commandant  Burrows,  to  whom  instructions  had 
been  given  for  a  cruise  from  Portsmouth.  On  the  1st  of  Sep- 
tember he  sailed  from  that  place,  steered  to  the  eastward,  and  on 
the  3d  discovered  and  chased  a  schooner  into  Portland,  where 
he  gained  intelligence  of  several  privateers  being  off  Manhagan, 
and  immediately  stood  for  that  place. 

The  British  gun-brig  the  Boxer,  of  fourteen  guns  and  nearly  one 
hundred  men,  had  been  fitted  up  at  St.  Johns,  (New  Brunswick,) 
for  the  purpose  of  a  combat  with  the  Enterprise,  mounting  the 
same  number  of  guns,  and  very  nearly  the  same  number  of  men. 
To  the  crew  of  the  Boxer,  however,  a  detachment  was  added 
from  the  Rattler,  upon  her  arrival  on  the  United  States  coast. 
On  the  morning  of  the  5th,  the  Enterprise,  in  the  bay  near  Pen- 
guin Point,  discovered  the  Boxer  getting  under  way,  and  gave 
chase  to  her.  The  Boxer  fired  several  guns,  stood  for  the  En- 
terprise, and  hoisted  four  ensigns.  Captain  Burrows  having 
ascertained  her  character,  stood  out  of  the  bay  to  obtain  sea- 
room  ;  and,  followed  by  the  Boxer,  he  hauled  upon  a  wind  until 
three  p.  m.  At  that  hour  he  shortened  sail,  and  in  twenty  mi- 
nutes the  action  commenced  within  half  pistol-shot.  At  the  first 
broadside,  Captain  Blythe  was  killed  by  a  cannon  shot  through 
his  body ;  and  in  a  moment  afterwards  Captain  Burrows  fell  by 


*  The  Enterprise  is  the  same  vessel  which,  in  1801,  was  a  schooner,  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean, commanded  by  Lieutenant  Sterrett.  Under  that  officer,  she  engaged  and  cap- 
tured in  August  of  that  year,  during  the  Tripolitan  war,  the  ship  of  war  Tripoli,  of  four- 
teen guns  and  eighty-five  men.  In  this  engagement,  she  lost  not  a  single  man ;  whilst 
ler  antagonist  had  fifty  of  her  crew  killed  nnd  wounded. 


ht; 


:i 


304 


ENTERPRISE    AND   BOXER. 


a  musket  ball.  The  command  of  the  two  vessels  during  the 
whole  engagement  was  therefore  maintained  by  the  lieutenants. 
Captain  Burrows  refused  to  quit  the  deck,  and  at  four  p.  m.  re- 
ceived the  sword  of  Captain  Blythe,  from  the  hands  of  Lieute- 
nant M'Call;  expressed  his  satisfaction  at  the  manner  of  his 
death,  and  expired  about  eight  hours  afterwards.  The  colours 
of  the  Boxer  had  been  nailed  to  the  mast,  and  her  first  officer 
was  therefore  obliged  to  hail  Lieutenant  M'Call,  to  inform  him 
of  her  surrender  before  it  was  known  that  she  was  vanquished. 
She  was  immediately  taken  possession  of  and  carried  into  Port 
land,  with  her  masts,  sails,  and  spars  cut  to  pieces ;  and  with 
twenty  eighteen-pound  shot  in  her  hull.  The  number  of  her 
killed  and  wounded  could  not  be  ascertained,  no  papers  being 
on  board  by  which  the  strength  of  her  crew  could  be  known. 
Her  officers  admitted  the  loss  of  twenty-five  killed,  and  fourteen 
wounded.  The  rigging  of  the  Enterprise  was  much  cut  with 
grape  shot,  but  her  hull  was  not  materially  damaged.  Her  loss 
was  one  killed  and  thirteen  wounded;  among  the  latter,  the 
captain  and  carpenter's  mate,  mortally.  Lieutenant  Tilling- 
hast  and  Midshipman  Waters,  the  latter  of  whom  was  severely 
wounded,  behaved  with  coolness  and  determination ;  and  Lieu- 
tenant M'Call  who  succeeded  his  gallant  captain,  sustained  the 
reputation  of  the  navy  by  his  conduct  throughout  the  action. 

On  their  arrival  at  Portland,  the  bodies  of  the  deceased  com- 
manders were  deposited  with  the  usual  military  ceremonies ; 
and  the  prisoners  were  soon  after  removed  to  the  interior.  Both 
vessels  were'  repaired  with  the  utmost  despatch ;  and  the  Boxer 
being  considered  the  superior  vessel,  was  ordered  by  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  to  be  delivered  up  for  the  benefit  of 
the  captors,  and  bought  from  them  into  the  service. 

By  the  fall  of  these  young  officers.  Captains  Allen  and  Bur- 
rows, the  naval  service  experienced  a  heavy  and  almost  irretriev- 
able loss.  Captain  Allen  had  distinguished  himself  in  a  gallant 
manner,  in  the  action  with  the  Macedonian,  at  which  time  he 
was  first  officer  to  Commodore  Decatur ;  and,  not  long  after,  re- 
ceived the  approbation  of  his  government  by  a  promotion  to  the 
rank  of  a  master-commandant,  and  to  the  command  of  the  Argus 
He  sustained  the  reputation  of  a  brave  and  courteous  man,  an 


COMMODORE    RODGER  S. 


300 


Captain  Allen* 

accomplished  seaman,  and  a  friend  of  unswerving  integrity. 
Captain  Burrows,  whose  intrepidity  and  fortitude  instigated  him 
to  remain  on  the  deck  of  his  vessel,  in  the  agonies  of  death,  until 
he  knew  of  the  surrender  of  the  enemy,  possessed  these  inesti- 
mable qualities  in  no  less  a  degree.  The  loss  of  such  men  was 
a  fruitful  source  of  sorrow  to  those  who  had  been  their  com- 
panions in  arms,  and  to  those  who  looked  up  to  them  for  exam* 
pies  of  usefulness  and  heroism. 

Between  this  period  and  the  commencement  of  the  year  1814, 
the  cruises  of  the  ships  of  war  of  the  United  States  were  not 
attended  by  any  of  those  brilliant  achievements  by  which  they 
had  previously,  and  have  since  that  time,  been  marked.  In  the 
month  of  February  of  that  year,  the  frigate  President  returned 
from  a  cruise  of  about  seventy  days.  At  the  entrance  to  Sandy 
Hook,  after  having  passed  the  lighthouse,  Commodore  Rodgers 
found  himself  in  the  neighbourhood  of  three  large  men-of-war, 
the  nearest  being  the  Plantagenet,  seventy-four,  Captain  Lloyd 


2a3 


39 


306 


CAPTAIN    STEWART    S    CRUISE. 


I 

1: 

HI 

1  ^ ' 

1 

1 

1 

1 

\  i 

32'  - 


Being  well  assured  of  an  attack  from  one  or  all  of  the  enemy's 
vessels,  he  cleared  ship  for  action;  and,  though  his  capture  was 
inevitable,  he  determined  not  to  lose  the  President,  until  I.e 
could  no  longer  light  her.  In  consequence*  of  the  wind  and  tide 
being  both  unfavourable,  he  was  compelled  to  remain  in  his 
situation  seven  hours,  before  either  of  them  enabled  him  to  cross 
the  bur ;  and,  in  all  that  time,  to  his  great  astouishnieul,  uiid  tu 
the  surprise  and  mortification  of  the  prisoners  on  board,  uo  dis- 
position was  manifested  to  attack  the  President,  though  her 
character  was  known,  and  she  fired  a  gun  to  windward,  to  signify 
her  willingness  to  fight,  since  there  was  no  apparent  possibility 
of  escaping.  The  tide  having  changed,  Commodore  Rod"-ers 
proceeded  to  New  York ;  and  Captain  Lloyd,  after  returning  to 
England,  accounted  for  his  conduct  by  alleging  a  mutiny  in  liis 
ship,  and  had  several  of  his  sailors  tried  and  executed  upon  that 
charge. 

In  the  succeeding  month  of  April,  the  Constitution  frigate, 
commanded  by  Captain  Charles  Stewart,  was  also  returning 
from  a  cruise  commenced  on  the  first  of  January.  On  her  arrival 
on  the  coast,  she  was  pursued  by  two  British  frigates  and  a 
brig,  and  chased  into  Marblehead.  The  excellent  seamanship 
of  her  commander  enabled  her,  with  difficulty,  to  escape;  and 
she  reached  Salem  without  injury.  During  her  cruise,  she  cajv 
tured  the  British  public  schooner  Pictou ;  and  fell  in  with  the 
frigate  La  Pique,  Captain  Maitland,  who  fled  on  the  approach 
of  the  Constitution.  No  effort  was  left  untried  by  Captain 
Stewart  to  overtake  and  bring  her  to  action,  but  she  escaped  in 
the  night,  after  a  long  chase;  and  Captain  Maitland,  on  his 
arrival  in  England,  was  complimented  by  the  admiralty,  for  his 
strict  observance  of  his  instructions,  in  flying  from  an  American 
frigate. 

Repeated  opportunities  were  about  this  time  given  to  the 
enemy's  squadron  off  Sandy  Hook,  to  engage  the  gun-boat 
flotilla.  A  schooner  had  been  driven  ashore ;  and  numbers  of 
barges,  well  manned  and  armed,  were  despatched  to  take  pos- 
session of  her;  but  Commodore  Lewis  ordered  a  detachment  of 
his  sailors  to  land  and  protect  her.  With  a  small  field-piece, 
and  their  small  arms,  they  beat  off  the  enemy,  launched  the 


CAPTAIN    porter's    CRUISE. 


307 


Hchooner,  and  carried  her  to  her  destined  port,  New  York.  A 
month  afterwards,  the  Belvidere  ctiiwed  the  brig  Regent,  laden 
with  an  immensely  valuable  cargo,  closo  into  the  hook ;  when 
the  commodore,  whose  station  was  constantly  at  that  point, 
immediately  gave  signal  for  a  del  ichment  (;f  his  flotilla  to  follow 
him ;  and  placing  himself,  with  eleven  sail,  between  the  frigate 
and  the  chase,  prevented  her  capture  ;  and  fired  upwards  of  fifty 
shot  at  the  frigate,  which  stood  off,  without  returning  the  fire. 

In  a  preceding  chapter  of  this  work,  an  account  is  given  of 
a  plan  of  a  cruise  in  the  South  Seas,  by  a  squadron  composed 
of  the  Constitution,  the  Essex,  and  the  Hornet,  under  Commo- 
dore Bainbridge.  This  cruise  was  broken  up  by  the  engage- 
ments of  the  Constitution  and  the  Hornet ;  and  as  neither  of  those 
vessels  was  found  by  the  Essex,  at  either  of  the  appointed  ren- 
dezvous. Captain  Porter  obtained  such  additional  provisions  as 
were  necessary  for  a  long  cruise.  He  had  received  intelligence 
of  the  victory  over  the  Java,  and  had  been  informed  that  the 
Montague  had  captured  the  Hornet.  He  therefore  determined 
on  prosecuting  the  original  cruise  with  the  Essex  alone. 

Previously  to  his  departure  from  the  rendezvous  on  the  coast 
of  Brazil,  he  captured  the  British  packet  Nocton,  took  out  of 
her  eleven  thousand  pounds  sterling  in  specie,  and  ordered  her 
with  liieutenant  Finch  to  the  United  States.  He  then  shaped 
his  course  for  the  Pacific,  arrived  at  Valparaiso  on  the  14th  of 
March,  1813,  provisioned  himself  there,  and  running  down  the 
coast  of  Chili  and  Peru,  fell  in  with  a  Peruvian  corsair,  on  bosird 
of  which  were  twenty-four  Americans,  detained  as  prisoners. 
Captain  Porter  immediately  threw  the  guns  of  the  corsair  o"er- 
board,  deprived  her  of  all  her  warlike  implements,  released  the 
Americans,  and  recaptured,  near  Lima,  one  of  the  vessels  in  which 
they  had  been  taken.  From  Lima  he  proceeded  to  the  Galli- 
pagos  islands,  where  he  cruised  from  April  until  October ;  and 
in  that  time  captured  twelve  armed  British  whale  ships.  The 
Montezuma,  of  two  guns  and  twenty -one  men ;  the  Policy  of  ten 
guns  and  twenty-six  men;  the  Georgiana,  of  six  guns  and  twenty- 
five  men ;  the  Greenwich,  of  ten  guns  and  twenty-five  men ;  the 
Atlantic,  of  eight  guns  and  twenty-four  men ;  the  Rose,  of  eight 
guns  and  twenty-one  men;  the  Hector,  of  eleven  guns  and  twenty- 


308 


CAPTAIN    PORTER  S    CRUISE. 


i 


1  lis 


¥'u 


Captain  Porter's  cruise  in  tht  Paelflo. 


five  men ;  the  Catherine,  of  eight  guns  and  twenty-nine  men; 
the  Seringapatam,  of  fourteen  guns  and  thirty-one  men;  the 
Charlton,  of  ten  guns  and  twenty-one  men ;  the  New  Zealander, 
of  eight  guns  and  twenty-three  men ;  and  the  Sir  Andrew  Ham- 
mond, of  twelve  guns  and  thirty-one  men ;  making  in  all  one 
hundred  and  seven  guns  and  three  hundred  and  two  men,  and 
the  total  amount  of  tonnage,  three  thousand  four  hundred  and 
fifty-six.  Many  of  these  vessels  were  pierced  for  eighteen, 
twenty,  and  twenty-six  guns,  and  Captain  Porter  equipped 
several  of  them,  and  commissioned  them  a«  United  States  cruisers 
and  store  ships.  The  Atlantic  he  called  the  Essex  Junior, 
equipped  her  with  twenty  guns,  and  assigned  his  first  officer, 
Lieutenant  Downes,  as  her  commander.  This  officer  conveyed 
such  of  the  prizes  as  were  to  be  laid  up  to  Valparaiso.  Here  he 
learned  that  a  British  squadron,  consisting  of  one  frigate,  two 
sloops  of  war,  and  a  store  ship  of  twenty  guns  had  sailed  for  the 
Pacific,  in  quest  of  the  Essex,  and  he  immediately  returned  to 
Captain  Porter  with  this  intelligence. 

The  Essex  had  now  been  one  year  at  sea,  and,  as  she  required 
many  repairs.  Captain  Porter  proceeded  to  the  island  of  Nooa- 
heevah,  or  Madison's  island,  lying  in  the  Washington  groups ; 
where  he  completely  repaired  the  Essex ;  and,  having  secured 
three  of  his  prizes  under  the  guns  of  a  battery  which  he  had 
previously  erected,  and  manned  with  twenty-one  marines,  under 
Lieutenant  Gamble  of  that  corps,  sailed  for  the  coast  of  Chili 


BLOCKADE   OF  THE   ESSEX. 


309 


on  the  12th  of  December,  and  arrived  there  on  the  12th  of  Janu* 
ary,  1814.  He  then  looked  into  Conception  and  Valparaiso, 
where  he  learned  that  the  squadron  of  which  he  had  been  in- 
formed by  Lieutenant  Downes,  was  conjectured  to  have  been 
lost  in  doubling  Cape  Horn.  He  nevertheless  continued  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Valparaiso,  and  was  anchored  in  that  port  with 
the  Essex  Junior,  when  Commodore  Hilly ar,  of  the  frigate 
Phoebe  of  thirty-six  guns,  mounting  (thirty  long  eighteens,  six- 
teen thirty-two-pound  carronades,  and  one  howitzer,  on  her  decks, 
and  six  three-pounders  in  her  tops)  fifty-three  guns,  and  having 
a  complement  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  men ;  accompanied 
by  the  Cherub  sloop  of  war,  Captain  Tucker,  of  (eighteen  thirty- 
two-pound  carronades,  eight  twenty-fours,  and  two  long  nines) 
twenty-eight  guns,  and  one  hundred  and  eighty  men,  arrived  at 
Valparaiso.  The  Essex,  which  mounted  (forty  thirty-tv»o 
pound  carronades,  and  six  long  twelves)  forty-six  guns,  and  had 
her  crew  reduced  by  prizes  to  two  hundred  and  fifty-five  men; 
and  the  Essex  Junior,  which  was  not  competent  to  resist  a  sloop 
of  war,  mounting  twenty  guns,  and  having  on  board  sixty  men, 
were  thus  blockaded  by  a  force  of  eighty-one  guns,  and  five 
hundred  men. 

After  cruising  at  the  entrance  to  the  harbour  for  six  weeks, 
the  Phoebe  hove  too,  fired  a  gun  to  windward,  and  hoisted  a 
motto  flag,  with  the  words  "  God  and  Country;  British  Sailors' 
best  rights ,  Traitors  offend  both ;"  in  answer,  as  it  was  thought, 
to  Captain  Porter's  motto  of  "  Free  Trade  and  Sailors'  Rights." 
On  the  mizzen  of  the  Essex,  a  flag  was  immediately  hoisted, 
with  the  words,  "God,  our  Country,  and  Liberty;  Tyrants 
offend  them ;"  and  she  got  under  way,  and  commenced  a  fire 
on  the  Phoebe.  Captain  Porter  conceived  the  movements  of 
the  Phoebe  to  be  intended  as  a  challenge  to  engage  him  ship  to 
ship ;  but,  on  discovering  that  the  Phoebe  ran  down  to  her  con- 
sort, he  felt  convinced  that  Commodore  Hillyar  would  not  engage 
the  Essex  alone.  This  conclusion  was  confirmed  by  the  con 
duct  of  the  two  vessels,  in  keeping  constantly  within  hail  of 
each  other. 

Captain  Porter  having  now  learned  that  the  Tagus  and  two 
other  frigates  had  also  sailed  for  the  Pacific,  in  pursuit  of  him, 


I 


JJIO 


ATTACK  ON  THE   ESSEX. 


6. 


Iff- 


1 


t 


ir 


p 


P^?  : 


i4t|.rv 


ri 


If    >ni 


not  knowing  what  time  they  might  gain  the  squadron  already 
blockading  him,  and  seeing  no  advantages  which  his  country 
could  obtain  by  his  remaining  longer  in  port,  determined  on 
putting  to  sea ;  and  expected,  by  drawing  off  the  Phcebe  and 
Cherub  in  pursuit  of  him,  to  afford  an  opportunity  to  the  Essex 
Junior,  to  which  he  had  appointed  a  rendezvous  of  escaping. 

On  the  28th  of  March,  the  day  after  this  determination  was 
formed,  the  wind  came  on  to  blow  fresh  from  the  southward,  and 
the  Essex  parted  her  larboard  cable,  and  dragged  her  starboard 
anchor  directly  out  to  sea;  the  occurrences  which  followed  are 
thus  described  in  Captain  Porter's  official  letter  :* 

"  Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost  in  getting  sail  on  the  ship. 
The  enemy  were  close  in  with  the  point  forming  the  west  side 
of  the  bay ;  but  on  opening  them  I  saw  a  prospect  of  passing  to 
windward,  when  I  took  in  my  topgallant  sails,  which  were  set 
over  single  reefed  topsails,  and  braced  up  for  this  purpose :  but 
on  rounding  the  point,  a  heavy  squall  struck  the  ship,  and  car- 
ried away  her  main  topmast,  j)recipitating  the  men  who  were 
aloft  into  the  sea,  who  were  drowned.  Both  ships  now  gave 
chase  to  me :  and  I  endeavoured  in  my  disabled  state  to  regain 
the  port ;  but  finding  I  could  not  recover  the  common  anchorage, 
I  ran  close  into  a  small  bay,  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  to  lee- 
ward of  the  battery,  on  the  east  side  of  the  harbour,  and  let  go 
my  anchor,  within  pistol-shot  of  the  shore,  where  I  intended  to 
repair  my  damages  as  soon  as  possible. 

The  enemy  continued  to  approach,  and  showed  an  evident 
intention  of  attacking  us,  regardless  of  the  neutrality  of  the 
place  where  I  was  anchored.  The  caution  observed  in  their 
approach  to  the  attack  of  the  crippled  Essex  was  truly  ridicii- 

♦  This  letter,  together  with  an  account  of  the  entire  cruise  of  the  Essex — of  the  pos- 
session of  the  island  of  Nooaheevah,  by  Captain  Porter,  in  the  name  of  the  United 
States — of  the  intercourse  established  with  the  natives  in  behalf  of  his  governmpnt— 
of  the  destruction  of  the  enemy's  commerce  in  those  seas — of  the  immense  expense 
which  it  cost  the  British  government  to  pursue  and  capture  the  Essex — and  of  the 
transactions  which  took  place  between  the  different  tribes  of  natives  in  the  Washington 
groupe,  and  the  fleet  with  which  he  appeared  there,  are  to  be  found  in  a  "  Journal,"  pub- 
lished by  Captain  Porter,  and  accompanied  by  several  engraved  plans  of  those  places, 
of  the  harbour  of  Valparaiso,  and  a  view  of  the  battle  betweert  the  Phoebe  and  Cherub, 
•nd  the  Essex. 


'    Cf- 


ATTACK  ON  THE   ESSEX. 


311 


lous ;  as  was  their  display  of  their  motto  flags,  and  the  number 
of  jacks  at  their  mast  heads.    I,  with  as  much  expedition  as  cii- 
cumstances  would  admit  of,  got  my  ship  ready  for  action,  and 
endeavoured  to  get  a  spring  on  my  cable,  but  had  not  succeeded, 
when  the  enemy,  at  fifty-four  minutes  after  three  p.  m.  made  his 
attack;  the  Phoebe  placing  herself  under  my  stern,  and  the 
Cherub  on  my  starboard  bow :  but  the  Cherub  soon  finding  her 
situation  a  hot  one,  bore  up  and  ran  under  my  stem  also,  where 
both  ships  kept  up  a  hot  raking  fire.    I  had  got  three  long 
twelve-pounders  out  at  the  stern  ports,  which  were  worked  with 
so  much  bravery  and  skill,  that  in  half  an  hour  we  so  disabled 
both,  as  to  compel  them  to  haul  off  to  repair  damages.    In  the 
course  of  this  firing,  I  had  by  the  great  exertions  of  Mr.  Edward 
Barnewall,  the  acting  sailingmaster,  assisted  by  Mr.  Linscott, 
the  boatswain,  succeeded  in  getting  springs  on  our  cables  three 
different  times ;  but  the  fire  of  the  enemy  was  so  excessive  that, 
before  we  could  get  our  broadside  to  bear,  they  were  shot  away, 
and  thus  rendered  useless  to  us.    My  ship  had  received  many 
injuries,  and  several  had  been  killed  and  wounded ;  but  my 
brave  officers  and  men,  notwithstanding  the  unfavourable  cir- 
cumstances under  which  we  were  brought  to  action,  and  the 
powerful  force  opposed  to  us,  were  noways  discouraged;  all 
appeared  determined  to  defend  their  ship  to  the  last  extremity, 
and  to  die  in  preference  to  a  shameful  surrender.   Our  gaff,  with 
the  ensign  and  motto  flag  at  the  mizzen,  had  been  shot  away ; 
but  FREE  TRADE  AND  SAILORS*  RIGHTS  Continued  to  fly  at  the 
fore.  Our  ensign  was  replaced  by  another :  and  to  guard  against 
a  similar  event,  an  ensign  was  made  fast  in  the  mizzen  rigging, 
and  several  jacks  were  hoisted  in  different  parts  of  the  ship. 

The  enemy  soon  repaired  his  damages  for  a  fresh  attaclt ;  he 
now  placed  himself  with  both  his  ships,  on  my  starboard  quarter, 
out  of  the  reach  of  my  carronades,  and  where  my  stern  guns 
could  not  be  brought  to  bear ;  he  there  kept  up  a  most  galling 
fire,  which  it  was  out  of  my  power  to  return,  when  I  saw  no 
prospect  of  injuring  him,  without  getting  under  way  and  be- 
coming the  assailant.  My  topsail  sheets  and  halyards  were  all 
shot  away,  as  well  as  the  jib  and  fore-top-mast-stay-sail  halyards. 
The  only  rope  not  cut  was  the  flying-jib  halyards ;  and  that  being 


312 


ATTACK    ON    THE   ESSEX. 


ru 


rj*. 


M: 


t'  .J 


Commodore  Porter. 


the  only  sail  I  could  set,  I  caused  it  to  be  hoisted,  my  cable  to 
be  cut,  and  ran  down  on  both  ships,  with  an  intention  of  laying 
the  Phoebe  on  board.  The  firing  on  both  sides  was  now  tremen- 
dous; I  had  let  fall  my  fore-topsail  and  foresail,  but  the  want 
of  tacks  and  sheets  had  rendered  them  almost  useless  to  us ;  yet 
we  were  enabled  for  a  short  time  to  close  with  the  enemy ;  and 
although  our  decks  were  now  strewed  with  dead,  and  our  cock- 
pit filled  with  wounded ;  although  our  ship  had  been  several 
times  on  fire,  and  was  rendered  a  perfect  wreck,  we  were  still 
encouraged  to  hope  to  save  her,  from  the  circumstance  of  the 
Cherub,  from  her  crippled  state,  being  compelled  to  liaul  off, 
She  did  not  return  to  close  action  again,  although  she  apparently 
had  it  in  her  power  to  do  so,  but  kept  up  a  distant  firing  with 
long  guns.  The  Phoebe,  from  our  disabled  state  was  enabled, 
however,  by  edging  off,  to  choose  the  distance  which  best  suited 
her  long  guns,  and  kept  up  a  tremendous  fire  on  us,  which 
mowed  down  my  brave  companions  by  the  dozen.    Manv  of  my 


ATTACK  ON  THE  ESSEX. 


313 


gwns  had  been  rendered  useless  by  the  enemy's  shot,  and  many 
of  them  had  their  whole  crews  destroyed.  We  manned  them 
again,  from  those  which  were  disabled,  and  one  gun  in  particu- 
lar was  three  times  manned ;  fifteen  wer^  slain  at  it  in  the  course 
of  the  action !  But,  strange  as  it  may  appear,  the  captain  of  it 
escaped  with  only  a  slight  wound. 

Finding  Ihat  the  enemy  had  it  in  his  power  to  choose  his  dis- 
tance, I  now^  gave  up  all  hopes  of  closing  with  him ;  and  as  the 
wind  for  the  moment  seemed  to  favour  the  design,  I  determined 
to  endeavour  to  run  her  on  shore,  land  my  men,  and  destroy  her. 
Every  thing  seemed  to  favour  my  wishes.  We  had  approached 
the  shore  within  musket-shot,  and  I  had  no  doubt  of  succeeding, 
when  in  an  instant  the  wind  shifted  from  the  land,  (as  is  very 
common  in  this  port  in  the  latter  part  of  the  day,)  and  payed  our 
head  down  on  the  Phoebe,  where  we  were  again  exposed  to  a 
dreadful  raking  fire.  My  ship  was  now  totally  unmanageable  ; 
yet  as  her  head  was  towards  the  enemy,  and  he  to  leeward  of 
me,  I  still  hoped  to  be*  able  to  board  him.  At  this  moment, 
Lieutenant-Commandant  Downes  came  on  board  to  receive  my 
orders,  under  the  impression  that  I  should  soon  be  a  prisoner. 
He  could  be  of  no  use  to  me  in  the  then  wretched  state  of  the 
Essex,  and  finding  (from  the  enemy's  putting  his  helm  up)  that 
my  last  attempt  at  boarding  would  not  succeed,  I  directed  him, 
after  he  had  been  about  ten  minutes  on  board,  to  return  to  his 
own  ship,  to  be  prepared  for  defending  and  destroying  her  in 
case  of  attack.  He  took  with  him  several  of  my  wounded,  leaving 
three  of  his  boat's  crew  on  board  to  make  room  for  them. 

The  slaughter  on  board  my  ship  had  now  become  horrible ;  the 
enemy  continuing  to  rake  us,  and  we  unable  to  bring  a  gun  to 
bear.  I  therefore  directed  a  hawser  to  be  bent  to  the  sheet 
anchor,  and  the  anchor  to  be  cut  from  the  bows  to  bring  her  head 
round;  this  succeeded.  We  again  got  our  broadside  to  bear, 
and  as  the  enemy  was  much  crippled,  and  \inable  to  hold  his 
own,  I  have  no  doubt  he  would  soon  have  drifted  out  of  gun-shot, 
before  he  discovered  we  had  anchored,  had  not  the  hawser  un- 
fortunately parted. 

My  ship  had  taken  fire  several  times  during  the  action,  but 
alarmingly  so  forward  and  aft  at  this  moment,  the  flames  were 

2D  40 


314 


ATTACK    ON    THE     ESSEX. 


\U 


P'^'f^H 


bursting  up  each  hatchway,  and  no  hopes  were  entertained  of 
saving  her ;  our  distance  from  the  shore  did  not  exceed  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile,  and  I  hoped  many  of  my  brave  crew  would  be 
able  to  save  themselves,  should  the  ship  blow  up,  as  I  was 
informed  the  fire  was  near  the  magazine,  and  the  explosion  of  a 
large  quantity  of  powder  below,  served  to  increase  the  horrors  of 
our  situation.  Our  boats  were  destroyed  by  the  enemy's  shot- 
I  therefore  directed  those  who  could  swim,  to  jump  overboard 
and  endeavour  to  gain  the  shore.  Some  reached  it ;  some  were 
taken  by  the  enemy,  and  some  perished  in  the  attempt;  but 
most  preferred  sharing  with  me  the  fate  of  the  ship.  We,  who 
remained,  now  turned  our  attention  wholly  to  extinguish  the 
flames;  and,  when  we  had  succeeded,  went  again  to  our  guns, 
where  the  firing  was  kept  up  for  some  minutes ;  but  the  crew 
had  by  this  time  become  so  weakened,  that  they  all  declared  to 
me  the  impossibility  of  making  further  resistance,  and  entreated 
me  to  surrender  my  ship,  to  save  the  wounded,  as  all  further 
attempt  at  opposition  must  prove  ineffectual,  almost  every  gun 
being  disabled  by  the  destruction  of  their  crews." 

Captain  Porter  then  summoned  his  oflicers  of  division  to  a 
consultation,  but,  to  his  surprise,  his  summons  was  attended  by 
one  only  remaining  officer,  Acting-Lieutenant  McKnight,  who 
made  the  same  report  concerning  the  condition  of  the  guns. 
Lieutenant  Wilmer  had  been  knocked  overboard  by  a  splinter, 
and  was  drowned ;  Acting-Lieutenant  Cowell  had  lost  a  leg,  of 
which  loss  he  afterwards  died;  Mr.  Barnewall,  the  acting- 
master,  had  been  twice  severely  wounded;  Acting-Lieutenant 
Odenheimer  had  been  knocked  overboard  about  the  same  time, 
and  did  not  regain  the  ship  until  she  had  surrendered  ;  many  of 
the  wounded  were  killed,  while  in  the  hands  of  the  surgeons; 
the  cockpit,  the  steerage,  the  wardroom,  and  the  birth-deck 
could  contain  no  more ;  and  such  was  the  quantity  of  shot  holes 
in  the  bottom  of  the  Essex,  that,  unless  she  was  very  soon  re- 
paired, the  carpenter  reported,  she  must  inevitably  5,ink,  The 
smoothness  of  the  water,  and  the  impossibility  of  reaching  the 
enemy  with  the  carronades,  enabled  him  to  fire  with  the  most 
deliberate  aim  at  the  Essex;  and,  seeing  no  hope  of  saving  his 
little  frigate.  Captain  Porter,  at  twenty  minutes  past  six,  p.  m., 


!'  ti 


CAPTURE    OF   THE    ESSEX. 


315 


orders  to  strike  the  colours.  At  this  moment,  seventy-fiye 
men  only,  including  officers,  were  all  that  remained  of  the  crew, 
fit  for  duty,  and  several  of  these  severely  wounded.  The  Essex 
had  now  yielded  to  the  superior  force  of  the  enemy,  who,  never- 
theless, still  fired,  and  continued  to  do  so,  ten  minutes  after  her 
surrender.  Many  of  the  crew  were,  in  this  time,  killed ;  an 
opposite  gun  had  been  fired,  to  show  that  she  intended  no  further 
resistance,  yet  Commodore  Hillyar  still  assailed  her,  and  four 
men  fell  at  the  side  of  her  commander.  Conceiving  from  this 
conduct,  that  the  enemy  intended  to  show  no  quarter,  Captain 
Porter  determined  to  die  with  his  flag  flying,  and  was  on  the 
point  of  rehoisting  it,  when  the  firing  ceased. 

In  addition  to  the  officers  already  mentioned.  Captain  Portei 
speaks  of  Messrs.  Johnson  and  Bostwick,  acting  officers,  of  Mid- 
shipmen Isaacs,  Farragut,  and  Ogden ;  and  of  acting  Midship- 
men Terry,  Lyman,  and  Duzenbury,  having  behaved  with  much 
bravery,  enterprise,  and  skill. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  both  the  Phoebe  and  the  Essex,  that 
it  was  with  extreme  difficulty  they  could  be  kept  afloat  until 
they  anchored  in  Valparaiso.  All  the  masts  and  yards  of  the 
two  British  vessels  were  crippled,  and  their  hulls  cut  up.  The 
Phcebe  had  eighteen  twelve-pound  shot  below  her  water  line, 
though  the  Essex  never  reached  the  enemy,  but  with  her  six 
twelve-pounders.  All  the  vessels  were  obliged  to  be  repaired,  to 
double  Cape  Horn ;  and  at  Rio  de  Janeiro,  they  put  in,  to  fit  up 
and  repair,  to  enable  them  to  reach  England. 

In  an  engagement  of  two  hours  and  t  .venty  minutes  duration, 
between  one  ship  of  forty-six  guns,  six  only  of  which  could  be 
used,  and  two  vessels  of  eighty-one  guns,  the  loss  on  the  inferior 
side  must  necessarily  have  been  excessively  severe.  On  board 
the  Essex,  fifty-eight  men  were  killed,  thirty-nine  severely,  and 
twenty-six  slightly  wounded,  and  thirty-one  missing ;  making  a 
total  loss  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-four.  On  board  the  PhcBbe 
and  Cherub,  the  loss  was  not  small.  The  first  lieutenant  of  the 
former  was  killed,  and  Captain  Tucker  of  the  latter,  severely 
wounded. 

Commodore  Hillyar  made  arrangements  with  Captain  Porter, 
in  consideration  of  his  conduct  to  the  crew  of  the  Alert;  by 
90 


tefl 


rt 


*!f 


tim 


'. 


r;;\ 


If!     ^  ' 


J    f 


316 


RETURN    OF    COMMODORE    PORTER. 


which  the  Essex  Junior  was  to  be  dismantled  of  her  armament 
and  given  up  to  the  prisoners,  who  were  to  proceed  in  her  to  the 
United  States.  Accordingly,  on  the  27th  of  April,  Captain 
Porter  and  his  crew  left  Valparaiso  in  that  ship,  which,  under 
Lieutenant  Dov/nes,  was  furnished  with  a  passport,  to  secure  her 
admission  into  any  of  the  blockaded  ports  of  the  United  States. 
On  the  5th  July,  they  fell  in  with  the  Saturn  razee.  Captain 
Mash,  who  suffered  the  Essex  Junior  to  proceed,  after  anexami- 
nation  of  her  papers.  Two  hours  after,  being  on  the  same  tack 
with  the  Saturn,  she  was  again  brought  to,  the  papers  re-examined, 
and  the  hold  overhauled,  by  the  boat's  crew  and  an  officer. 

Captain  Porter  was  informed  that  Commodore  Hillyar  had  no 
authority  to  make  any  arrangement,  by  which  this  ship  should 
be  given  up,  and  that  she  must  therefore  be  detained.  Captain 
Porter  immediately  ordered  out  a  boat,  manned  it  with  a  sufficient 
crew,  and  pulled  off  from  the  Essex  Junior.  The  Saturn  did 
not  discover  him  until  he  was  out  of  gun-shot,  when  she  chased 
the  boat,  without  success ;  and  Captain  Porter  landed  at  Lonff 
Island,  upwards  of  thirty  miles  from  the  place  at  which  he  left 
the  Essex,  and  immediately  proceeded  to  New  York,  where-  he 
arrived,  after  an  absence  from  his  country  of  nineteen  months, 
and  to  which  port  he  was  followed  a  few  days  after  by  the 
Essex  Junior. 

The  United  States  sloop  of  war  Peacock,  Captain  L.  Warring- 
ton, of  twenty  guns,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  men,  was 
launched  in  the  month  of  October,  1813,  performed  a  cruise 
during  that  winter,  escaped  the  pursuit  of  the  enemy  into  the 
St.  Mary's,  put  to  sea  again,  and  on  the  29th  of  April  discovered 
the  British  brig  of  war  Epervier,  Captain  Wales,  of  eighteen 
guns  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  men,  having  under  con- 
voy an  English  brig,  and  a  Russian  and  a  Spanish  ship,  all  ot 
whom  made  sail  on  the  approach  of  the  Peacock.  An  engage- 
ment followed  soon  after,  between  the  two  vessels  of  war,  and  at 
the  first  broadside  from  the  Epervier,  the  foreyard  of  the  Peacock 
was  totally  disabled  by  two  round  shot  in  the  starboard  quarter. 
By  this  circumstance  she  was  deprived  of  the  use  of  her  fore  and 
fore  topsails,  and  Captain  Warrington  was  compelled  to  keep  his 
ship  large  throughout  the  action,  which  continued  forty  two 


::U;;p,;'' 


rmament, 
ler  to  the 
i  Captain 
ch,  under 
ecure  her 
3d  States. 
,  Captain 
an  exami- 
same  tack 
examined, 
icer. 

'ar  had  no 
lip  should 
Captain 
I  sufficient 
Saturn  did 
she  chased 
d  at  Long 
lich  he  left 
.  where-  he 
jn  months, 
iter  by  the 

1.  Warring- 
men,  was 
jd  a  cruise 
(ly  into  the 
discovered 
of  eighteen 
under  con- 
ship,  all  ot 
A.n  engage- 
war,  and  at 
he  Peacock 
ard  quarter. 
ler  fore  and 
to  keep  his 
d  foriyt\vo 


m 


m 


1  '  i 


i'M 


'4 


2>  2 


THB  PEACOCK  AND  EPERVIER. 


4» 


minutes.  In  this  time  she  received  many  shot  through  her  saiU 
and  rigging,  lost  several  topmast  and  top  gallant  back-stays,  and 
had  two  men  wounded.  Her  hull  not  at  all  injured,  and  none  of 
the  crew  killed.  The  Epervier  struck  with  five  feet  water  in  hei 
hold,  her  main  topmast  over  the  side,  her  main  boom  shot  away, 
her  foremast  cut  nearly  in  two  and  tottering,  her  fore  rigging 
and  stays  shot  away,  her  bowsprit  much  injured,  her  hull  pierced 
by  forty-five  shot,  twenty  of  which  were  within  a  foot  of  her 
water  line,  and  eleven  of  her  crew  killed,  and  her  first  lieutenant 
and  fourteen  men  wounded.  She  was  immediately  taken  pos- 
session of  by  Lieutenant  Nicholson,  •.  rst  officer  of  the  Peacock, 
who,  with  Lieutenant  Yoorhees  of  the  same  ship,  had  been  dis- 
tinguished in  another  naval  combat.  One  hundred  and  eighteen 
thousand  dollars  in  specie  were  found  on  board  the  Epervier,  and 
transferred  to  the  Peacock;  and  Captain  Warrington,  having 
received  on  board  the  officers  of  the  enemy's  vessel,  pursued  his 
course  to  one  of  the  southern  ports,  in  company  with  his  prize, 
after  repairing  her  with  the  utmost  diligence. 

At  half-past  five,  p.  m.,  on  the  following  day,  being  almost 
off  the  centre  of  Amelia  island.  Captain  Warrington  discovered 
two  large  sail  in  chase,  which  he  ascertained  to  be  frigates.  At 
the  suggestion  of  Lieutenant  Nicholson,  he  took  all  the  prisoners 
out  of  the  Epervier,  and  leaving  a  crew  of  only  sixteen  men  on 
board,  directed  her  to  make  the  best  of  her  way  for  St.  Mary's, 
whilst  we  stood  on  a  wind  along  the  shore,  to  the  southward. 
The  frigates  then  separated,  one  being  in  chase  of  the  Peacock, 
and  the  other  of  the  Epervier.  At  nine  that  night  the  Peacock 
lost  sight  of  the  chaser,  but  continued  all  night  to  the  south- 
ward. At  daylight  of  the  1st  of  May  she  shortened  sail,  and 
stood  to  the  northward,  discovered  the  frigate  again,  and  was  a 
second  time  chased  until  two,  p.  m.,  when  the  frigate  gave  up. 
In  the  evening  she  resumed  her  cruise,  fell  in  with  the  frigate  a 
third  time,  on  the  morning  of  the  2d,  and  was  again  chased 
until  she  lost  sight.  On  the  morning  of  the  4th,  she  made  Tybee 
lighthouse,  at  the  entrance  to  Savannah,  and  arrived  at  that  port 
in  the  course  of  the  day.  Here  Captain  Warrington  found  his 
prize,  the  Epervier,  which  had  escaped  with  great  difficulty, 
after  beating  off  a  launch  well  manned  and  armed,  which  had 


m 


820 


Vh 


r 


t'- 


HM9a 


Is 


''':ii 


i 


I*: 


El         I 


"^^.  -. 


CRUISE   OF   THE    WASP 


Commodor*  Warrington, 

been  despatched  from  the  frigate  to  overtake  her.  Lieutenant 
Nicholson,  by  his  judgment  and  decision,  which  had  never  been 
known  to  desert  him  in  times  of  peril  and  difficulty,  prevented 
her  recapture.  The  Epervier  was  repaired,  refitted,  bought 
into  the  service  at  Savannah,  and  the  command  given  to  Captain 
Downes,  of  the  Essex  Junior. 

The  conduct  of  Lieutenant  Henley,  of  Midshipmen  Greeves 
and  Rodgers,  of  Mr.  Townsend,  captain's  clerk,  and  Mr.  Myers, 
master's  mate,  is  represented  by  Captain  Warrington  to  have 
been  cool,  determined,  and  active.  The  sailingma«ter,  Percival, 
the  same  who  captured  the  tender  Eagle,  off  Sandy  Hook, 
handled  the  ship  in  a  very  superior  style,  and  placed  her  in  such 
situations  as  were  most  advantageous,  with  much  ease  and  pro- 
fessional skill. 

The  new  sloop  of  war  the  Wasp,  Captain  Blakely,  mounting 
twenty  guns,  having  been  completely  equipped  for  a  long  cruise, 
sailed  from  Portsmouth  on  the  1st  of  May,  1814,  between  which 
time  and  the  6th  of  the  following  July,  she  captured  seven 


WASP   AND   REINDEER. 


321 


merchantmen,  and  a  brig  of  war,  the  Reindeer,  Captain  Manners, 
of  eighteen  guns,  and  one  shifting  gun,  and  one  hundred  and 
eighteen  men.  This  capture  was  made  after  an  action  of  nine- 
teen minutes,  in  latitude  48°  36'  N.  and  longitude  11°  46'  W 
On  that  day,  at  fifteen  minutes  after  four  a.  m.,  the  Wasp  being 
in  pursuit  of  two  sail  before  the  lee  beam,  discovered  the  Rein- 
deer on  the  weather  beam,  and  immediately  altered  her  course, 
and  hauled  by  in  chase  of  her.  The  pursuit  continued  until 
half-past  meridian,  when  the  Reindeer,  having  previously  hoisted 
an  English  ensign  and  pendant,  showed  a  blue  and  white  flag 
at  the  fore,  and  fired  a  gun. 

At  fifteen  minutes  past  one.  Captain  Blakely  called  all  hands 
to  quarters,  and  prepared  for  action.  At  twenty-two  minutes 
past  one,  he  tacked  ship,  and  stood  for  the  Reindeer,  with  an 
expectation  of  being  able  to  weather  her.  At  fifty  minutes  past 
one,  the  Reindeer  tacked  and  stood  from  the  Wasp.  Fifty-six 
minutes  past  one,  the  Wasp  hoisted  her  colours,  and  fired  a  gun 
to  windward,  which  was  answered.  The  chase  was  kept  up  until 
thirty-two  minutes  past  two,  when  the  Reindeer  tacked  for  the 
Wasp,  and  the  latter  took  in  her  stay  sails,  and  furled  the  royals. 
Captain  Blakely  ha^dng  now  discovered  that  the  Reindeer  would 
weather  him,  immediately  tacked  ship,  and  at  fifteen  minutes 
past  three,  the  Reindeer  being  on  his  weather  quarter,  at  sixty 
yards  distance,  fired  her  shifting  gun,  a  twelve-pound  carronade, 
loaded  with  round  and  grape  shot. 

At  seventeen  minutes  past  three,  the  same  gun  was  fired 
again ;  at  nineteen  minutes  past  three  it  was  fired  a  third  time ;  at 
twenty-one  minutes  past  three  a  fourth  time ;  and  at  twenty-four 
minutes  past  three  a  fifth  time.  The  Reindeer  not  getting  suffi- 
ciently on  the  beam  of  the  Wasp,  the  latter  was  compelled  to 
receive  these  repeated  discharges  without  being  able  to  bring  a 
gun  to  bear.  Her  helm  was  therefore  put  a-lee,  and  at  twenty- 
six  minutes  aft«r  three  Captain  Blakely  commenced  the  action 
with  his  after  carronade,  on  the  starboard  side,  and  fired  in  suc- 
cession. The  mainsail  was  then  hauled  up,  and  at  forty  minutes 
after  three,  the  Reindeer's  larboard  bow  being  in  contact  with 
the  larboard  quarter  of  the  Wasp,  Captain  Manners  directed  his 
crew  to  board  her.    The  attempt  was  gallantly  repulsed  by  the 


41 


322 


WASP  AND   REINDEER. 


!    ,' 


crew  of  the  Wasp,  who  several  times  beat  off  the  enemy ;  and 
at  forty-four  minutes  past  three  were  ordered  to  board  in  turn 
Throwing  themselves  with  great  promptitude  upon  the  deck  oi 
the  Reindeer,  they  succeeded  in  the  execution  of  their  orders, 
and  her  flag  came  down  at  forty-five  minutes  after  three.  In  a 
line  with  her  ports  she  was  cut  almost  to  pieces ;  her  upper 
works,  boats,  and  spare  spars  entirely  destroyed,  and  on  the  fol- 
lowing day  her  foremost  went  by  the  board.  Twenty-five  of 
her  crew  were  killed,  and  forty-two  wounded,  making  a  loss  ot 
sixty-seven  men. 

On  board  the  Wasp  the  injury  sustained  was  not  so  material 
Her  rigging  was  destroyed  however  in  several  places,  her  fore- 
mast was  pierced  through  by  a  twenty-four  pound  ball,  and  her 
hull  struck  by  six  round  shot  and  many  grape,  though  not  with 
sufficient  force  to  penetrate  far.  Her  loss  amounted  to  five  killed, 
and  twenty-one  wounded,  principally  in  boarding.  Among  the 
latter  Midshipmen  Langdon  and  Toscan,  both  of  whom  expired 
some  days  after.  Having  received  the  prisoners  and  their  bag- 
gage on  board  the  Wasp,  Captain  Blakely  blew  up  the  Reindeer 
on  the  evening  of  the  29th,  and  sailed  for  L' Orient  to  provide 
for  the  disabled  part  of  each  crew,  whose  wounds  had  become 
offensive  in  consequence  of  the  intense  heat  of  the  weather.  He 
arrived  at  that  port  on  the  8th  of  July,  and  found  that  their 
damage  could  be  repaired  by  the  carpenters  of  the  ship  in  a 
few  days. 

In  this  action  Lieutenants  Bury  and  Reily,  who  had  been  in 
the  engagements  vnth  the  Guerriere  and  Java,  and  of  Lieute- 
nant Tillinghast,  (2d)  who  was  instrumental  to  the  capture  of 
the  Boxer,  maintained  the  high  credit  which  they  acquired  on 
those  previous  occasions.  And  Captain  Blakely,  whose  reputa- 
tion as  a  skilful  seaman  and  an  expert  navigator  is  not  surpassed 
by  any  naval  olficer,  had  his  crew  so  well  drilled  upon  the  prin- 
ciples of  manne  discipline,  that  they  never  despaired  of  van- 
quishing an  equal  force  of  their  enemy. 

In  the  port  of  L'Orient,  the  Wasp  was  detained  by  head  winds 
until  the  27th  of  August,  having  been  anchored  there  fifty-two 
days.  During  this  time  every  attention  was  given  to  her  officers 
ai^  crew  by  the  inhabitants,  and  their  situation  in  a  foreign  port 


WASP   AND  AVON. 


325 


rendered  particularly  agreeable  by  the  assiduities  of  the  Ame- 
rican minister. 

After  leaving  that  place  and  capturing  two  valuable  British 
merchantmen,  Captain  Blakely  fell  in  with  a  convoy  of  ten  sail, 
on  the  1st  of  September,  under  the  protection  of  the  Armada, 
seventy-four,  and  a  bomb  ship.  He  stood  for  them,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  cutting  out  of  the  squadron  a  brig  laden  with  brass 
and  iron  cannon,  and  military  stores  from  Gibraltar;  and  after 
taking  out  the  prisoners  and  setting  her  on  fire,  he  endeavoured 
to  cut  out  another  vessel,  but  was  driven  off  by  the  seventy-four. 

In  the  evening  at  half  past  six,  he  discovered  two  vessels  on 
his  starboard,  and  two  on  the  larboard  bow,  and  hauled  for  that 
which  was  farthest  to  windward.  At  seven  she  was  made  out 
to  be  a  brig  of  war,  making  signals- with  flags  which  could  not 
be  distinguished,  owing  to  the  darkneiss  of  the  night ;  and  at 
twenty-nine  minutes  past  nine,  she  was  under  the  lee-bow  of  the 
Wasp.  Captain  Blakely  ordered  the  twelve-poimd  carronade  to 
be  fired  into  her,  and  received  a  return  from  the  stranger.  The 
Wasp  then  ran  under  the  lee-bow  of  the  enemy  to  prevent  her 
escape,  and  immediately  commenced  an  action,  which  continued 
until  ten  o'clock,  when  Captain  Blakely,  supposing  his  antago- 
nist to  be  silenced,  ceased  firing,  and  hailed  to  know  if  she  had 
surrendered.  No  answer  being  given  to  this  demand,  ho  re- 
commenced firing,  and  the  enemy  returned  him  broadside  for 
broadside. 

At  twelve  minutes  past  ten,  the  enemy  having  made  no  return 
to  the  two  last  broadsides,  was  again  hailed  to  know  if  he  had 
surrendered.  Captain  Blakely  was  informed  that  the  vessel 
being  in  a  sinking  condition,  her  commander  had  struck  his 
colours.  The  Wasp's  boats  were  immediately  lowered,  when  a 
second  brig  of  war  was  discovered  a  little  distance  astern,  stand- 
ing for  her.  The  crew  were  instantly  sent  to  their  quarters,  and 
preparations  made  for  another  engagement.  The  Wasp  was 
lying  to  for  the  approach  of  the  second  stranger,  when  at  thirty- 
six  minutes  past  ten,  two  other  brigs  were  discovered  standing 
also  for  her.  .         .        ,,  » 

Under  these  circumstances,  Captain  Blakely  was  prevented 
from  taking  possession  of  his  prize,  and  keeping  off  the  wind, 

SB 


.in 


LifiiS:;- 


826 


SINKING  OF   THE   AVON. 


.  Captain  Blakely.  ,- ;»=      ^ 

with  an  expectation  of  drawing  the  brig  first  discovered,  after 
him,  he  ordered  new  braces  to  bo  rove,  to  replace  those  which 
had  been  shot  away.  His  expectations  were  not,  however,  an- 
swered, the  brig  of  war  continuing  in  pursuit  only  until  she  was 
near  enough  under  his  stern  to  give  him  a  broadside,  and  return 
to  her  companions.  This  she  did,  and  cut  the  rigging  and  sails, 
and  shot  away  a  lower  main  cross  tree  of  the  Wasp. 

The  name  and  force  of  the  prize  has  since  been  ascertained. 
She  was  the  brig  of  war  Avon,  Captain  Arbuthnot,  of  the  same 
number  of  guns  as  the  Reindeer,  and  sunk  immediately  after  the 
Castillion  ^the  vessel  which  chased  the  Wasp)  had  taken  out  her 
last  man.  According  to  the  enemy's  account,  her  captain  was 
wounded  in  both  legs,  the  first  lieutenant  and  eight  men  killed, 
and  the  second  lieutenant,  one  midshipman,  and  thirty-one  men 
wounded. 

The  Wasp  received  in  her  hull  four  thirty-two-pound  shot,  and 
in  her  mainmast  a  number  of  grape  shot.  Her  sails  and  rigging 
were  much  damaged,  but  her  loss  in  men  amounted  to  two  killed 


LOSS    OF    THE    WASP. 


837 


and  one  only  wounded.  She  repaired  her  damages  on  the  suc- 
ceeding day,  and  continued  to  cruise,  in  conformity  with  her  in- 
structions from  the  navy  department.  On  the  2 1st  of  September, 
she  captured  off  the  Madeiras,  her  thirteenth  prize,  the  British 
briff  Atalanta,  of  eight  guns,  and  the  only  one  which  she  sent 
into  port.  This  vessel  arrived  at  Savannah  in  the  beginning  of 
November,  under  the  command  of  Mr.  Geisinger,  one  of  the 
officers  of  the  Wasp,  with  despatches  from  Captain  Blakely. 

The  Atalanta  left  the  Wasp,  at  sea,  on  the  23d  of  September, 
without  knowing  the  destination  to  which  her  further  cruise 
would  convey  her ;  and,  since  that  time,  no  ofdcial  accounts  have 
been  received  from  her.  Her  cruise  was  theretofore  most  brilliant 
and  unparalleled,  her  sailors  all  young,  athletic,  brave,  and  en- 
thusiastic, and  her  officers  among  the  most  skilful  in  the  service. 
She  was  never  heard  from  after  being  hailed  by  the  Atalanta, 
and  her  loss  was  deeply  deplored  by  the  whole  republic. 


SB 


328 


CAMPAIGN    OF    1814. 


iiii* 


*   ' 


I  .    r  '  I- 


,* 

i 

-.1 

A 

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i  t 

J.. 

^sr 

■Bi 

m^, 

HH 

HK  4i 

.<^' 

■■1  i! 

^.  T 

i'|;l 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

tfommfncemeiit  of  t|b«  ttampaisn  of  tUSlA* 

N  the  winter  of  1813,  we  left  the 
northern  army  under  General  Wil- 
kinson, in  quarters,  the  right  division 
being  at  Champlain,  and  the  left  and 
largest  at  French  MiUs.  Between 
that  time  and  the  spring  of  1814, 
several  plans  of  attack  upon  the  posts 
of  St.  Philip,  L'Acadie  and  St.  Johns, 
by  the  route  of  Hammerford,  La  Tor 
tue,  and  St.  Piere,  and  for  a  simultaneous  movement  against 
Cornwall,  with  a  view  to  cut  off  the  communication  between  the 
Upper  and  Lower  Provinces,  were  submitted  to  the  war  depart- 
ment by  the  commander-in-chief.  Before  the  propositions  were 
received  at  the  department,  orders  had  been  forwarded  to 
Salmon  river,  directing  the  general  to  withdraw  his  forces  from 
French  Mills ;  to  forward  two  thousand  men,  with  a  proportion 
of  field  and  battering  cannon,  under  General  Brovni,  to  Sackett's 
Harbour ;  and  to  fall  back  with  the  residue  of  the  troops,  stores, 
and  baggage  to  Plattsburg. 

In  conformity  to  these  orders,  the  flotilla  in  which  the  army 
had  descended  the  St.  Lawrence  was  destroyed  on  the  night  of 
the  12th  of  February;  the  barracks  were  fired  on  the  succeeding 
day,  and  the  troops  abandoned  their  quarters  and  marched  to- 
ward the  several  places  of  their  destination. 


EXPEDITION  AGAINST  FRENCH  MILLS. 


329 


General  Wilkinson  had  scarcely  reached  Plattsburg  before 
he  was  apprized  of  a  movement  of  the  enemy,  with  a  view  to 
the  capture  of  a  few  sick  men  whose  extreme  illness  rendered 
it  indispensable  they  should  bo  left  in  the  hospital  at  Malone,  a 
short  distance  from  the  Mills.  He  therefore  determined  on  their 
expulsion  from  the  territory,  in  time  to  prevent  the  achievement 
of  their  object,  and  having  made  proper  arrangements  for  the 
convenience  and  comfort  of  the  sick  at  their  new  quarters,  he 
marched  with  all  possible  expedition  to  meet  and  repulse  the 
enemy 

Colonel  Scott  of  the  103d  British  regiment,  commanded  the 
expedition  against  French  Millp  and  Malone,  composed  of  two 
thousand  regulars,  Glengarians,  and  militia,  and  accompanied 
by  nearly  three  hundred  guides  and  followers.  He  crossed  over 
to  the  Mills  on  the  21st,  burned  the  arsenal  at  Malone,  pillaged 
the  property  of  individuals,  and  carried  off  several  barrels  of 
public  provisions.  But  hearing  of  the  approach  of  the  Ameri- 
can troops,  he  retreated  in  great  confusion,  though  not  without 
destroying  the  bridges  in  his  rear.  The  whole  party  suffered 
severely  by  a  tremendous  storm  of  snow  and  hail,  which  pre- 
vailed at  the  close  of  the  day,  and  lost  upwards  of  two  hundred 
deserters,  who  surrendered  themselves  to  the  American  army. 

During  the  following  month,  (March,)  the  troops  were  not 
otherwise  engaged  than  in  breaking  up  a  system  of  smuggling, 
which  had  been  carried  on  for  several  previous  months,  and 
which  at  this  period  was  extended  to  an  alarming  and  dangerous 
degree. 

Towards  the  close  of  March,  General  Wilkinson  determined 
on  establishing  a  battery  at  Rouse's  Point,  where  he  had  pre- 
viously discovered  a  position  well  adapted  for  a  work  to  keep  in 
check  the  contemplated  movements  of  the  British  fleet  destined 
to  operate  upon  the  Lake  Champlain,  and  which  had  been  laid 
up  during  the  winter  at  St.  Johns,  about  twenty-one  miles  below 
the  mouth  of  the  La  Colle,  and  twenty-six  from  Rouse's  Point. 
After  this  position  had  been  reconnoitered  by  his  engineer.  Ma- 
jor Totten,  he  made  an  attempt  to  carry  this  object  into  execu- 
tion, but  the  sudden  and  unseasonable  breaking  up  of  the  ice 
defeated  the  plan ;  and  being  informed  that  the  enemy  had  taken 


2k2 


4i 


330 


AFFAIR  OF  LA  COLLG  MILL. 


I:: 


1: 


the  alarm,  and  was  condensing  a  force  of  two  thousand  five 
hundred  men  at  La  CoUe  Mill,  four  miles  from  Rouse's  Point, 
he  determined  on  the  opinion  of  his  leading  officers,  and  a  report 
that  the  walls  could  be  effectually  battered  with  a  six-pounder 
to  attack  it.  On  the  30th  he  accordingly  entered  Canada,  and 
was  met  by  a  party  of  the  enemy  at  Odelltown,  whom  he  forced 
back  more  than  three  miles,  on  the  route  to  Montreal,  in  the 
course  of  which  much  skirmishing  took  place.  He  then  resumed 
his  march  to  La  CoUe  Mill,  a  large  and  lofty  fortified  stone  house, 
measuring  sixty  feet  by  forty,  and  at  that  time  in  command  of 
Major  Hancock,  and  a  strong  corps  of  British  regulars. 

To  drive  the  enemy  from  this  post,  and  to  effect  its  destruo- 
tion.  General  Wilkinson  ordered  forward  an  eighteen-pounder, 
and  disposed  his  troops  so  as  to  intercept  him  in  an  attempt  to 
retreat.  The  only  road  of  approach  being  through  a  deep  forest, 
almost  inundated,  and  covered  with  insurmountable  obstruc- 
tions to  the  passage  of  a  heavy  piece  of  cannon,  the  eighteen- 
pounder  could  not  be  brought  up,  and  the  general  determined 
upon  attempting  a  breach  with  a  twelve,  and  a  five  and  a  half 
inch  howitzer.  He  took  post  with  those  pieces,  under  command 
of  Captain  McPherson  and  his  seconds.  Lieutenants  Larrabee 
and  Sheldon,  at  a  distance  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards^  from 
the  fortified  house,  and  covered  them  with  the  second  brigade 
composed  of  the  33d,  34th,  4tht  and  10th  regiments,  and  part  of 
Colonel  Clark's  command,  under  Brigadier-General  Smith,  on 
the  right;  and  the  3d  brigade,  composed  of  the  14th  and  20th, 
under  Brigadier-General  Bissel,  on  the  left.  Colonel  Miller 
was  detached  with  the  6th,  and  12th,  and  part  of  the  13th,  to 
cross  the  La  CoUe,  and  form  a  line  across  the  several  roads 
leading  from  the  stone  house  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  to 
cut  off  the  retreat  of  the  British  regulars.  Brigadier-General 
Macomb,  with  a  select  corps  of  the  first  brigade,  formed  the  re- 
serve. All  these  regiments  were  mere  skeletons  consolidated. 
This  disposition  being  completed,  the  battery  was  immediately 
opened  upon  the  enemy,  who  promptly  returned  the  fire,  and 

*  It  is  said  Major,  now  Colonel,  Totten,  unoe  ascertained  that  the  Americans  wen 
within  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  the  house,  and  that  a  breach  could  not  have  been 
effected  with  an  eighteen-pounder. 


seems: 
tenmcel 
cock,  d^ 
storm  tl 
for  a  sul 
were  aj 
repulsej 
to  retiri 
then  si 
ability 


AFFAIR  OF  LA  COLLE  MILL. 


331 


threw  numbers  of  Congreve  roqjtets  upon  the  right  wing  of  the 
Americ'in  line.  From  these  manifestations  of  deliberate  and 
circumspect  preparation,  the  commander  of  the  American  forces 
\m  induced  to  believe  the  report  tha*  .o  number  of  the  enemy 
amounted  to  twenty-five  hundred ;  his  strength  was  inferior  to 
that,  however,  though  competent  under  the  cover  of  strong  walls, 
to  repel  an  attack  from  a  much  larger  number  of  assailants. 

The  stone  house  stood  upon  that  side  of  the  river  on  which 
General  Wilkinson  had  drawn  up  his  line;  a  block-house  of 
wood  stood  on  the  other;  and  both  were  encompassed  by  an 
open  piece  of  ground,  on  the  edge  of  a  wood  bordering  upon 
which  the  Americans  had  taken  post;  every  officer,  therefore, 
from  the  lowest  subaltern  up  to  the  commander-in-chief  was 
exposed  to  the  enemy's  fire.  Here  the  general  made  proper 
arrangements  to  keep  his  corps  in  order,  to  receive  a  combined 
ittack,  and  continued  to  cannonade  the  house,  but  without  being 
able  to  effect  a  breach,  although  the  guns  were  managed  with 
uncommon  skill,  by  officers  accustomed  to  their  use.  Captain 
McPherson  had  been  already  wounded  under  the  chin;  this 
wound  he  immediately  bound  up,  and  continued  to  direct  the 
fire  from  his  piece  until  a  second  shot  broke  his  thigh,  and  ren- 
dered him  unfit  for  further  duty.  His  next  officer.  Lieutenant 
Larrabee,  was  shot  through  the  lungs,  and  Lieutenant  Sheldon 
kept  up  the  fire  with  great  vivacity,  until  the  close  of  the  engage- 
ment. Tho  conduct  of  these  gentlenien  was  represented  by  their 
commander  to  be  "so  conspicuously  gallant  as  to  attract  the 
admiration  of  their  brothers  in  arms." 

Relying  on  the  firmness  and  intrepidity  of  his  troops,  and 
seeing  that  the  Americans  were  resolved  on  the  longer  main- 
ten  iFiCe  of  the  cannonade,  the  British  commander,  Major  Han- 
cock, determined  on  sending  a  strong  party  from  the  house,  to 
storm  the  battery,  and  put  the  assailants  to  flight.  He  gave  ord(?rs 
for  a  sudden  and  immediate  sortie,  and  several  desperate  charges 
were  attempted  upon  the  cannon.  These  were  successively 
repulsed  by  the  covering  troops,  and  the  enemy's  regulars  obliged 
to  retire  to  the  fortified  building  with  considerable  loss.  They 
then  shut  themselves  up  in  the  house,  and,  convinced  of  their 
ability  to  retain  their  position,  put  at  defiance  the  utmost  effiDits 


332 


OPERATIONS    ON    LAKE    CHAMPLAIN. 


of  the  Americans;  and  General  Wilkinson  being  now  persuadea 
of  the  impracticability  of  making  an  impression  with  such  light 
pieces  upon  a  solid  stone  wall  found  upon  experiment  to  be  of 
unusual  thickness,  called  in  his  detachments,  withdrew  his  bat 
tery,  and  having  previously  removed  his  dead  and  wounded,  fell 
back  to  Odelltown,  at  about  six  o'clock  of  the  same  day.  Thence 
he  moved  to  Champlain  and  Plattsburg,  at  which  latter  place 
he  established  his  quarters.  The  American  loss  in  this  affair 
amounted  to  one  hundred  and  forty  in  killed  and  wounded,  among 
the  latter  Lieutenants  Green  and  Parker,  of  the  infantiy.  The 
enemy's  loss  was  known  to  be  considerable  in  the  sortie,  but  the 
amount  has  never  been  accurately  ascertained. 

Immediately  after  the  incursion  to  La  Colle,  the  whole  regular 
force  of  Lower  Canada,  and  a  battalion  of  Glengarians  from 
Coteau  de  Lao,  were  concentrated  at  Isle  aux  Noix,  and  a  large 
number  of  batteaux  collected  at  St.  Johns.  The  former  awaiting 
the  movement  of  the  British  fleet,  whose  boats  were  employed  iu 
the  daily  examination  of  the  ice  on  the  lake,  on  the  breaking  up 
of  which  such  movement  depended.  This  event  took  place  in 
the  beginning  of  the  month  of  April,  and  early  in  May  the  British 
flotilla  entered  Lake  Champlain. 

PREVIOUSLY  to  their  apppearance  on 
the  lake.  General  Wilkinson  had  been 
recalled  from  that  district,  by  an  order  from 
the  department  of  the  24th  of  March.  But  being 
apprized  of  the  equipment  of  the  enemy's  flotilla, 
and  of  their  intention  to  blockade  the  mouth  of 
Otter  creek  leading  to  the  town  of  Vergennes,  where  the 
American  fleet  lay  waiting  for  their  armament,  he,  notwithstand- 
ing this  order,  visited  the  capes  at  its  entrance,  conferred  with 
Commodore  McDonough  at  Vergennes,  and  made  arrangements 
to  erect  a  battery  and  fortify  that  point.  This  precaution  proved  to 
be  of  incalculable  service,  and  amply  provided  against  an  attempt 
to  obstruct  the  passage  of  the  American  squadron  into  the  lake. 

On  the  13th  of  May,  not  long  after  the  battery  had  been  con- 
structed on  the  cape,  a  bomb  vessel  and  eight  large  row  galleys 
were  stationed,  by  the  enemy,  across  the  entrance  of  the  creek, 
with  a  view  to  its  blockade,  and  to  cut  off"  supplies  for  a  new  ship 


OPERATIONS  ON  LAKE  ONTARIO. 


339 


I 


hst  then  completing,  and  intended  to  be  added  to  the  American 
squadron.  Captain  Thornton,  of  the  light  artillery,  was  de- 
spatched to  defend  the  battery,  and  Commodore  McDonough 
placed  a  number  of  sailors,  under  Lieutenant  Cassin,  of  the  navy, 
toco-operate  with  the  artillery.  A  new  large  gun  biig,  and  several 
other  galleys,  being  at  the  same  time,  about  two  wiles  in  the  rear 
oi"  the  bomb  vessels,  suspicions  were  entertained  of  the  enemy's 
intention  to  land  a  detachment  of  troops,  either  to  captiire  the 
provisions  in  the  neighbourhood,  or  to  assail  thrt  battery  from  the 
rear.  General  Davis,  of  the  Vermont  militia,  immediately  called 
out  a  detachment  of  his  brigade,  and  made  dispositions  to  resist 
an  invasion.  At  daybreak  on  the  morning  of  the  14th,  the  bomb 
ship  opened  her  battery  upon  the  hew  works,  und  continued  the 
attack  upwards  of  two  hours,  without  doing  any  other  injury  than 
the  dismounting  of  one  gun.  Captain  Thornton,  with  his  artil- 
lorymen,  a>id  Lieutenant  Cassin,  with  his  sailors,  returned  the 
fire  with  constant  animation,  compelled  the  enemy  to  withdraw 
from  his  position,  and  captured  two  galleys  which  the  British 
seamen  were  obl\ji^ed  to  abandon.  The  bomb  ship,  and  the  re- 
mainder of  the  galleys,  stood  off  to  the  other  vessels,  and  the 
whole  squadron  proceeded  down  the  lake,  passed  Burlington,  and 
had  some  skirmishing  with  a  small  body  of  militia  under  General 
Wright,  who  manoeuvered  so  well  as  to  persuade  the  enemy  that 
his  force  was  much  stronger.  During  the  attack.  Commodore 
McDonough  attempted  to  bring  the  American  vessels  down  the 
creek,  but  did  not  succeed  in  reaching  the  mouth,  until  the 
enemy  had  departed. 

The  enemy  were  not  less  active  in  their  operations  along  the 
shores  of  the  Lake  Ontario;  and  the  commanders  of  the  rival 
armaments  there,  lost  no  time  in  preparing  and  equipping  their 
vessels,  to  take  the  lake  early  in  the  spring.  At  the  close  of  the 
preceding  autumn,  they  had  mancEvered  with  uncommon  skill, 
though  not  with  equal  success,  the  one  to  draw  his  enemy  into 
an  engagement,  the  other  to  avoid  fighting,  for  the  supremacy  of 
the  water,  until  his  fleet  should  be  augmented  by  an  additional 
force.  At  Kingston,  an  immense  vessel  was  building  for  that 
purpose ;  and,  at  Sackett's  Harbour,  a  new  ship  was  ordered  of 
a  sufficient  size  to  maintain  the  existing  equality.     Whilst  thoso 


1 


334 


OPERATIONS    ON  LAKE    ONTARIO. 


1 1  '■•' 


.'  ;  I  ^? 


I' I  .fit:  ' 


vessels  were  constructing,  various  plans  were  continually  adopted 
to  destroy  them,  and  all  the  caution  of  one  party  became  neces 
sary  to  guard  against  the  vigilance  of  the  other.  On  one  occasion 
the  25th  of  April,  three  of  the  enemy's  boats  succeeded  in  getting 
close  in  with  the  harbour,  when  Lieutenant  Dudley,  of  the  navy 
being  the  officer  of  the  guard,  detected  and  fired  upon  them. 
Each  boat  was  provided  with  two  barrels  of  powder,  attached  to 
each  other  by  means  of  ropes,  and  intended  to  be  placed  under 
the  stocks  of  the  vessels.  Upon  being  fired  at,  they  immediately 
threw  the  powder  into  the  lake,  to  prevent  an  explosion  of  their 
own  boats,  and  pulled  off  without  returning  a  shot. 

AILING  in  all  his  attempts  to  destroy  the 
hull  of  the  new  ship,  the  British  commander 
determined  upon  intercepting  her  rigging, 
naval  stores,  and  guns.  These  had  been  de- 
posited at  Oswego,  about  sixty  miles  from 
the  harbour,  and  thither  Sir  James  Yeo  and 
Lieutenant-General  Drummond  resolved  to 
sail  with  the  whole  fleet,  and  a  competent  number  of  troops  to 
land  and  storm  the  fort,  and  capture  this  valuable  booty.  Ac-, 
cordingly,  on  the  6th  of  May,  Sir  James  appeared  before  the 
fort,  with  four  large  ships,  three  brigs,  and  a  number  of  gun- 
boats, barges,  and  transports.  The  transports  principally  con- 
tained the  troops  of  Lieutenant-General  Drummond.  The  suc- 
cessful issue  of  this  expedition  would  have  given  to  the  British 
forces,  for  a  time  at  least,  a  decided  superiority  on  the  lake,  and 
without  knowing  that  the  stores  had  been  previously  removed 
from  Oswego,  they  commenced  an  attack,  which  was  kept  up 
for  nearly  two  days,  the  brilliant  and  unusual  resistance  to  which 
did  not,  however,  avail  the  American  garrison.  The  fort  mounted 
but  five  old  guns,  three  of  which  were  almost  useless,  and  had 
a  shore  battery  of  five  more  of  smaller  weight.  It  had  been 
garrisoned  but  a  few  days  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Mitchell  of  the 
artillery,  and  two  hundred  and  ninety  men.  The  schooner 
Growler,  having  on  board ,  Captain  Woolsey  and  Lieutenant 
Pearce  of  the  navy,  was  at  that  time  in  Oswego  creek,  receiving 
the  cannon  which  had  not  yet  been  removed.  The  enemy  were 
no  sooner  discovered  than  the  Growler  was  sunk  to  prevent  the 


DEFENSE   OF  OSWEGO. 


335 


capture  of  the  cannon,  and  all  the  tents  in  store  were  imme- 
diately pitched  on  the  village  side  of  the  creek,  to  persuade  the 
enemy  that  the  Americans  were  numerous.  Under  Lieutenant 
Pearce  the  few  sailors  of  the  Growler  were  added  to  the  gar- 
rison ;  the  shore  battery  was  commanded  by  Captain  Boyle»  wh<» 
wa»  seconded  by  Lieutenant  Legate. 

At  about  one  o'clock  fifteen  large  boats,  crowded  with  troops, 
moved  at  a  given  signal  to  the  shore,  preceded  by  several  gun 
boats  which  were  sent  forward  to  cover  the  landing ;  whilst  all 
the  larger  vessels  opened  a  heavy  fire  upon  the  little  fort.  The 
contest  was  kept  up  with  great  vigour  and  equal  vivacity ;  the 
fort  itself  returned  a  very  animated  fire ;  and  Captain  Boyle 
succeeded  twice  in  repulsing  the  debarking  boats,  near  the  shore 
battery,  and  at  length  compelled  them  to  retire  to  the  shipping. 
The  whole  squadron  then  stood  off,  and  anchored  at  a  distance 
t-om  the  shore ;  one  of  their  bop*s,  being  sixty  feet  in  length, 
and  carrying  thirty-six  oars  and  three  sails,  was  so  much  shat- 
tered that  her  crew  abandoned  her,  and  she  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  American  artillery.  •  ' 

Though  the  British  were  thus  compelled  to  retire  from  tho 
assault  of  the  fort,  it  was  by  no  means  to  be  supposed  that  they 
had  relinquished  their  intention  of  storming  and  possessing  it. 
The  immense  superiority  of  their  force  and  means  would  not 
justify  such  a  supposition,  and  Colonel  Mitchell  was  therefore 
particularly  vigilant.  He  stationed  picket  guards  at  the  differ- 
ent points  of  debarkation,  kept  his  men  iipon  their  arms  during 
the  night,  and  neglected  no  measure  of  precaution.  Mortified 
at  so  successful  a  resistance,  by  a  force  known  to  be  so  much 
inferior,  and  protected  by  weak  batteries,  the  enemy  determined 
to  effect  a  landing  under  cover,  as  well  of  their  large  vessels,  as 
of  their  gun-boats,  and  at  daybreak  of  the  6th  they  approached 
the  shore  again.  They  were  early  discovered  coming  up  under 
easy  sail,  and  soon  after  the  principal  ship,  the  Wolf,  and  the 
other  frigates  resumed  their  position  before  the  fort  and  battery, 
whilst  the  brigs,  schooners,  and  gun-boats,  proceeded  higher  up 
to  cover  by  their  fire  the  landing  of  the  troops.  The  Wolf,  and 
the  frigates,  kept  up  the  cannonade  for  three  hours,  whilst  the 
land  forces,  to  the  number  of  seventeen  hundred,  composed  of 


■  k    '^-  'Til 

Hi'  ts^i 


d36 


CAPTURE    OF    OSWEGO. 


^   #» 


AUMk  on  Oiwego. 

one  column  of  the  De  Watteville  regiment,  led  by  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Fischer,  on  the  left ;  a  second  column  of  a  battalion  of 
marines,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Malcorn,  8upi)orted  by  a  de- 
tachment of  two  hundred  seamen  under  Captain  Mulcaster,  the 
second  officer  of  the  fleet,  on  the  right,  succeeded  under  a  tre- 
mendous fire  from  the  brigs  and  schooners,  in  gaining  the  shore, 
where  their  advance  was  resisted  by  Lieutenant  Pearce  of  the 
navy,  and  a  small  party  of  seamen.  The  landing  being  effected, 
Colonel  Mitchell  withdrew  to  the  rear  of  the  fort,  united  with 
the  sailors,  two  companies  of  artillerymen,  under  Captains  Ro- 
mayne  and  Melvin,  and  assailed  the  invading  columns  whilst 
the  companies  of  Captains  Mclntire  and  Pierce  of  the  heavy  ar- 
tillery engaged  the  enemy's  flanks.  Thus  formed,  he  sustained 
a  vigorous  and  desperate  conflict  upwards  of  thirty  minutes,  in 
which  great  slaughter  was  made  among  the  enemy,  and  a  severe 
loss  experienced  by  thi  troops  of  the  garrison.  Against  a  force, 
however,  which  amounted  to  ten  times  their  own  number,  it  was 
found  useless  for  the  Americans  longer  to  contend,  and  Colonel 
Mitchell  accordingly  fell  back  about  four  hundred  yards  from 
the  eneray,  where  he  formed  his  troops,  and  took  up  his  march 
for  the  falls,  thirteen  miles  in  the  rear  of  the  fort,  upon  Oswego 
river,  to  which  place  the  stores  had  been  previously  removed. 
He  retired  in  such  good  order  as  to  be  able  to  destroy  the 


ATTACK  ON  CHARLOTTE. 


337 


bridges  in  his  rear,  notwithstanding  he  was  pressed  by  a  nume- 
rous foe. 

The  enemy  then  took  possession  of  the  fort  and  barracks,  but 
for  the  little  booty  which  he  obtained,  consisting  of  a  few  barrels 
of  provisions  and  whisky,  he  paid  much  more  than  an  equivalent. 
His  loss  in  killed  amounted  to  seventy,  in  wounded,  drowned, 
and  missing,  one  hundred  and  sixty-five,  in  all  two  hundred  and 
thirty-five.  Among  these  were  Captain  Haltaway  killed,  and 
Captains  Mulcaster,  Popham,  and  Ledergrew,  and  two  lieute- 
nants and  one  master  wounded.  In  the  noble  and  obstinate  resist- 
ance which  they  made,  the  Americans  lost  Lieutenant  Blaney, 
an  officer  of  high  promise,  and  five  men  killed,  thirty-eight 
wounded,  and  twenty-five  missing,  in  all  sixty-nine  men. 

On  the  morning  of  the  7th,  the  enemy,  finding  that  the  object 
of  the  expedition,  though  prosecuted  with  a  force,  including  the 
ships'  crews,  of  three  thousand  men,  had  not  been  achieved, 
evacuated  the  place  after  firing  the  barracks,  spiking  some,  and 
carrying  off  others  of  the  guns. 

On  the  9th,  they  returned  to  Oswego,  and  sent  a  flag  iri?  the 
village,  informing  the  inhabitants  of  their  intention  of  landing  a 
large  force,  to  proceed  to  the  falls  for  the  execution  of  their  origi- 
nal plan ;  but  on  being  assured  by  the  people  that  the  stores  had 
been  removed  from  that  place,  and  that  the  communication  was 
cut  off  by  the  destruction  of  the  bridges,  they  quitted  Oswego  and 
stood  for  Kingston. 

On  the  evening  of  the  12th,  four  ships,  two  brigs,  and  five 
gun-boats,  of  this  squadron,  were  discovered  shaping  their  course 
for  Charlotte,  a  town  near  the  mouth  of  the  Gennessee  river. 
At  this  town,  a  corps  of  volunteers,  amounting  to  one  hundred 
and  sixty  men,  and  having  one  field-piece,  had  been  stationed  for 
its  defense ;  and  the  commanding  officer,  on  the  appearance  of 
the  fleet,  immediately  despatched  expresses  to  General  Peter  B. 
Porter,  who  arrived  there  early  on  the  morning  of  the  13th.  In 
answer  to  a  flag  which  had  been  sent  ashore  with  a  demand  for 
the  surrender  of  the  place,  General  Porter  returned  a  positive  re- 
fusal. Two  gun-boats,  carrying  between  two  and  three  hundred 
men,  then  entered  the  river,  and  opened  a  fire  upon  the  town  and 
battery,  which  they  continued,  with  little  effect,  for  an  hour  and 

2P  43 


{,  I'i 


338 


FLIGHT    OF    THE    BRITISH. 


#"#•» 


a  half.  The  commodore  sent  in  a  second  flag,  with  a  repetition 
of  his  demand,  accompanied  by  a  threat  to  land  twelve  hundred 
regulars  to  destroy  the  town.  By  this  time  the  women  and  chil- 
dren were  all  removed,  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  militia  col- 
lected, and  dispositions  made  to  cut  off  the  gun-boats,  if  they 
should  approach  further  up  the  river.  Being  well  assured  of  the 
determination  of  his  men  to  resist  the  landing  of  the  enemy,  Gene- 
ral Porter  repeated  his  reply  to  the  commodore's  demand.  At 
eight  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  16th,  the  gun-boats  retired  to 
their  shipping,  after  having  thrown  a  great  quantity  of  rockets, 
shells,  and  round  shot,  without  doing  any  material  injury,  and 
the  fleet  took  its  departure  from  the  vicinity  of  Charlotte. 

In  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  this  force  proceeded  to  Poult- 
neyville,  a  village  on  the  border  of  the  lake,  and  demanded  the 
peaceable  surrender  of  the  public  stores.  The  inhabitants  were 
incompetent  to  repel  the  invaders,  and  the  British  commodore 
landed  a  party  of  sailors  and  marines,  who  captured  a  quantity 
of  damaged  flour,  and  were  committing  depredations  upon  indi- 
vidual property,  when  the  arrival  of  Brigadier-General  John 
Swift,  of  the  New  York  militia,  with  one  hundred  and  thirty 
volunteers,  put  them  to  a  precipitate  flight.  Their  boats  hastily 
pulled  off  to  the  fleet,  when  a  vigorous  cannonade  commenced, 
and  several  old  houses  were  pierced  through  by  the  eighteen  and 
twenty-four-pound  shot.  The  enemy  did  not  attempt  to  reland, 
but  soon  weighed  anchor,  and  being  joined  by  other  vessels  of 
the  squadron,  steered  for  Sackeit's  Harbour. 

Nine  miles  distant  from  the  harbour  the  fleet  cast  anchor,  in 
different  positions,  on  the  19th,  to  enable  them  to  cut  off  all  commu- 
nication between  it  and  other  places  on  the  lake.  The  new  ship, 
the  Superior,  a  frigate  of  uncommon  beauty  and  dimensions,  had 
been  launched  there  on  the  1st  of  the  month.  Her  equipments, 
for  the  capture  of  which  the  enemy  had  so  vigorously  assaulted 
Fort  Oswego,  had  mostly  arrived  by  land  conveyances,  and  Sir 
James  Yeo  being  ignorant  of  this  circumstance,  and  supposing 
the  Americans  dependent  entirely  on  their  free  and  ready  access 
to  the  lake,  for  the  possession  of  these  supplies,  commenced  the 
blockade  of  the  harbour,  with  the  sole  view  of  intercepting  them. 
Upon  learning,  as  he  afterwards  did,  that  the  new  ship  was  re 


THE   MOHAWK. 


339 


ceiving  her  armament,  and  equipping  with  great  expedition,  ho 
broke  up  the  blockade,  and  proceeded  with  his  fleet  to  Kingston. 

Some  cannon  and  ordnance  stores,  intended  for  the  vessels  of 
the  American  fleet,  had,  in  the  mean  time,  arrived  at  Oswego, 
from  the  interior.     Another  new  vessel,  intended  to  be  called  the 
Mohawk,  was  then  on  the  stocks,  and  to  prepare  her  for  the  lake 
in  the  early  part  of  June,  these  stores,  as  well  as  those  which  had 
been  removed  to  Oswego  falls,  were  indispensably  necessary. 
To  transport  them  by  land  would  be  attended  with  difliculties 
and  delays,  which  recent  experience  had  taught  the  American 
commanders  to  avoid ;  and  Commodore  Chauncey,  finding  now 
an  unobstructed  passage  to  the  lake,  directed  Captain  Woolsey 
to  convey  them,  in  a  flotilla  of  barges,  in  which  he  could  ascend 
the  small  creeks,  if  pursued  by  the  enemy,  to  their  point  of  desti- 
nation   To  give  security  to  the  passage  of  the  barges,  Brigadier- 
Greneral  Gaines,  who  commanded  the  land  forces  of  the  harbour, 
despatched  M  ":^r  Appling,  of  the  rifle  regiment,  with  one  hun- 
dred and  tv    .   V  officers  and  men,  to  co-operate  with  Captain 
Woolsey,  in  escorting  the  flotilla.    The  barges,  nineteen  in  num- 
ber, were  then  at  the  falls  of  Oswego,  and  previously  to  their  move- 
ment to  the  lake.  Captain  Woolsey  had  caused  a  report  to  be 
circulated,  that  the  naval  stores  were  to  be  forwarded  to  the 
Oneida  lake.  The  watchful  enemy  had  several  gun-boats  at  that 
time  hovering  about  the  numerous  creeks,  which  discharge  them- 
selves into  the  Lake  Ontario,  and  examining  every  cove,  by  the 
aid  of  which,  small  barges  might  elude  their  vigilance.     On  the 
28th  of  May,  Captain  Woolsey,  having  previously  reconnoitered 
the  mouth  of  the  Oswego  creek,  and  finding  a  clear  coast,  brought 
his  flotilla  over  the  rapids,  and  reached  the  village  of  Oswego  at 
sunset.    Availing  himself  of  the  darkness  of  the  night,  he  put 
into  the  lake,  with  Major  Appling  and  his  men  distributed  in  the 
several  batteaux.     A  small  party  of  Oneida  Indians  were  de- 
spatched to  Big  Salmon  river,  to  meet  the  flotilla  there,  and  to 
proceed  along  the  shore  to  Sandy  creek,  in  which  Captain  Wool- 
sey's  orders  obliged  him  to  make  a  harbour. 

At  the  dawn  of  the  29th,  after  having  rowed  twelve  hours,  in 
extreme  darkness,  and  under  a  heavy  fall  of  rain,  the  barges 
arrived  at  Big  Salmon,  and  were  met  by  the  Indians,  commanded 


340 


CAPTURE   OP   A  BRITISH  FLOTILLA. 


u 


■1} 


iiy  Lieutenant  Hill  of  the  rifle  corps.  The  flotilla  then  proceeded 
on  its  passage,  and  arrived,  in  the  course  of  the  day,  at  a  point 
two  miles  up  Sandy  creek.  Thence  a  look-out  boat,  under  Lieu- 
tenant  Pearce,  was  despatched  on  the  30th,  to  reconnoiter  betv/een 
its  mouth  and  Stony  Point.  This  boat  was  discovered  by  three 
gun-boats,  three  cutters,  and  a  gig,  under  Captain  Popham,  and 
chased  into  the  creek.  No  doubt  being  entertained  that  the 
enemy  would  pursue  Lieutenant  Pearce  up  the  creek,  dispositions 
were  immediately  made  by  Major  Appling  and  Captain  Woolsey 
to  draw  him  into  an  ambuscade.  He  very  soon  appeared,  and  at 
eight  o'clock  a.  m.  commenced  a  cannonade  at  long  shot.  At  ten 
he  landed  a  party,  and  pushed  his  gun-boats  and  cutters  up  the 
creek,  occasionally  firing  into  the  woods  as  he  ascended.  Major 
Appling,  who  had  posted  his  m^n  in  a  judicious  manner  along 
the  bank,  below  the  point  at  which  the  American  barges  were 
moored,  then  suddenly  rose  from  his  concealment,  poured  upon 
the  enemy  a  rapid  and  destructive  fire,  and  in  ten  minutes  killed 
one  midshipman  and  thirteen  sailors  and  marines,  wounded  two 
lieutenants,  and  twenty-eight  sailors  and  marines,  and  took  pri- 
soners the  remainder  of  the  party,  consisting  of  two  post  captains,  ■ 
and  four  lieutenants  of  the  nary,  two  lieutenants  of  marines,  and 
one  hundred  and  thirty-three  men.  The  whole  party  amounted  to 
one  hundred  and  eighty-five.  The  gun-boats  and  cutters  neces- 
sarily fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans,  who  had  but  one  man 
slightly  wounded. 

A  squadron  of  dragoons,  under  Captain  Harris,  and  a  company 
of  light  artillery,  under  Captain  Melvin,  with  two  field-pieces, 
arrived  in  the  neighbourhood,  at  the  commencement  of  the  action, 
but  did  not  participate  in  it.  Major  Appling  was  soon  after 
brevetted  a  lieutenant-colonel,  and  his  officers.  Lieutenants  Mcin- 
tosh, Calhoun,  Macfarland,  Armstrong,  and  Smith,  and  Ensign 
Austin  were  publicly  thanked  by  the  commanding  general  officer 
at  Sackett's  Harbour.  Captain  Woolsey  and  his  officers,  Lieu- 
tenant Pearce,  SailingmasterVaughan,and  Midshipmen  Mackey, 
Hart,  and  Caton,  who  had  been  ordered  to  Oswego  to  superin- 
^nd  the  transportation  of  the  cannon  and  stores,  acquitted  them- 
selves in  a  masterly  and  courageous  manner. 

The  cannon  were  soon  after  transported  to  Uie  harbour,  and 


roceeded 

t  a  point 

ler  Lieu- 

betv/een 

by  three 

lam,  and 

that  the 

spositions 

Woolsey 

id,  and  at 

t.  At  ten 

jrs  up  the 

3.    Major 

ner  along 

Tges  were 

ired  upon 

ites  killed 

Mided  two 

I  took  pri- 

it  captains,  • 

irines,  and 

Tiounted  to 

ters  neces- 

it  one  man 

a  company 
ield-pieces, 
the  action, 
soon  after 
ants  Mcln- 
nd  Ensign 
leral  officer 
cers,  Lieu- 
jn  Mackey, 
to  superin- 
itted  thera- 

urbour,  and 


I 


BURNING   OF    DOVER. 


343 


the  new  frigate  Mohawk,  was  launched  on  the  11th  of  June,  and 
very  speedUy  armed  and  equipped  to  join  the  squadron,  which 
then  consisted  of  nine  vessels,  carrying  in  all  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty-one  guns. 

The  result  of  this  affair  was  sensibly  felt  throughout  the  British 
fleet;  it  deprived  them  of  a  number  of  experienced  seamen,  and 
several  valuable  and  intrepid  officers,  and  they  were  compelled 
to  remain  in  Kingston  harbour,  until  their  places  were  supplied, 
and  the  squadron  enlarged  by  an  immense  new  ship,  then  building 
there,  and  intended  to  carry  i  .  h,  "ed  and  twelve  gu  '^cm- 
modore  Chauncey  sailed  round  thu  lake  in  the  courstj  of  the 
month,  and  frequently  stationed  himself  before  Kingston,  to  draw 
out  the  enemy's  squadron. 

Until  their  new  ship  was  completed,  they  determined,  hew 
ever,  to  remain  in  port,  and  in  that  interval  no  hostile  event  took 
place  upon  Lake  Ontario.  Nor,  indeed,  was  any  warlike  attitude 
assumed  in  its  neighbouring  Lake  Erie,  or  the  Lake  Champlain, 
before  the  commencement  of  the  summer.  From  the  borders  of 
the  latter,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Forsythe,  of  the  rifle  corps,  on  the 
28th  of  June,  made  an  incursion  into  Canada,  as  far  as  Odell- 
town,  where  an  affair  took  place  with  a  detachment  of  the 
enemy,  from  the  post  of  La  Colle.  The  colonel  made  an  attack, 
retreated,  and  attempted  to  draw  the  enemy  into  an  ambuscade, 
but  in  his  zeal,  discovered  himself  and  his  party  too  soon,  and 
an  engagement  took  place  before  the  British  were  ensnared. 
Seventeen  of  their  number  were  killed ;  among  them  the  cele- 
brated partisan  commander,  Captain  Mayhue,  who  was  shot  by 
Lieutanant  Riley.  Colonel  Forsythe,  who  had  heretofore  been 
a  terror  to  the  enemy,  was  wounded  in  the  neck,  of  which  wound 
he  died  a  few  days  after,  and  was  buried  with  military  honours 
at  Champlain.  The  command  of  this  corps  was  then  transferred 
to  Lieutenant-Colonel  Appling. 

From  Lake  Erie,  Colonel  Campbell,  of  the  19th  regiment, 
crossed  over  the  lake  with  five  hundred  men,  to  Long  Point, 
where  he  landed,  and  proceeding  to  the  village  of  Dover,  destroyed 
the  flour  mills,  distilleries,  and  all  the  houses  occupied  by  the 
soldiers,  as  well  as  many  others  belonging  to  the  peaceable  in- 
habitants of  the  village.    A  squadron  of  British  dragoons.,  sta- 


) 


Ill's- 

IN- 


24  i 


CAMPBELL   COURT-MARTIALLED. 


tioned  \t  that  place,  fled  at  the  approach  of  Colonel  Campbell's 
detachment,  and  abandoned  the  women  and  children,  who 
experienced  humane  treatment  from  the  Americans.  Colonel 
Campbell  undertook  this  expedition  without  orders,  and  as  his 
conduct  was  generally  reprobated,  a  court  of  inquiry  was  insti- 
tuted to  examine  into  his  proceedings,  of  which  General  Scott 
was  president.  This  court  declared  that  the  destruction  of  the 
mills  and  distilleries  was  according  to  the  usages  of  war,  but 
that  in  burning  the  houses  of  the  inhabitants.  Colonel  Campbell 
had  greatly  erred.  This  error  they  attributed  to  the  recollection 
of  the  scenes  of  the  Raisin  and  the  Miami,  in  the  western  terri- 
tories,  to  the  army  of  which,  Colonel  Campbell  was  at  that 
time  attached,  and  of  the  recent  devastation  of  the  Niagara 
frontier. 

During  these  events  of  the  winter  and  spring  of  1814,  the 
British  had  collected,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  river  Thames, 
and  at  the  Delaware  town,  situated  upon  that  river,  a  very 
respectable  force  of  regulars,  militia,  and  Indians ;  and  severaj 
expeditions  were  planned  and  set  on  foot  against  them,  by 
Colonel  Anthony  Butler,  who  commanded  the  American  forces 
in  the  Michigan  territory.  In  the  month  of  February,  Captain 
Lee,  who  had  been  formerly  a  cornet  in  the  Michigan  dragoons, 
was  sent  into  the  vicinity  of  the  enemy,  with  about  fourteen 
mounted  men.  Many  miles  in  the  rear  of  the  British  forces,  he 
made  prisoners  of  several  officers,  and  among  them  the  famous 
Colonel  Baubee,  who  commanded  a  party  of  Indians,  and 
assisted  in  the  depredations  committed  on  the  New  York  frontier. 
Captain  Lee  contrived,  by  his  judicious  management,  to  bring 
them  over  to  Detroit  without  detection. 

Upon  their  arrival  there,  Colonel  Butler  projected  an  enter- 
prise, under  Captain  A.  H.  Holmes,  of  the  24th  regiment,  to 
whom  he  assigned  the  command  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
rangers  and  mounted  infantry,  and  despatched  him,  on  the  21sl 
of  February,  against  several  of  the  enemy's  posts.  On  the  3d 
of  March,  at  the  distance  of  fifteen  miles  from  Delaware,  Cap- 
tain Holmes  received  intelligence  that  the  enemy,  whose  force 
consisted  of  a  company  of  one  hundred  men,  of  the  Royal 
Scotts,  under  Captain  Johnson ;  forty-five  of  the  89th  regiment, 


AFFAIR  OF  TWENTY   MILE   CREEK. 


340 


under  Captain  Caldwell;  fifty  of  McGregor's  militia,  and  the 
same  number  of  Indians,  being  in  all  two  hundred  and  tbrty-six 
men,  had  left  the  village  with  an  intention  of  descending  the 
river.  Captain  Holmes's  party  had  already  suffered  and  been 
reduced  by  hunger  and  fatigue,  and  sixteen  of  his  men,  who 
were  unable  to  march  further,  sent  back  to  Detroit;  with  the 
remainder  he  did  not  deem  it  prudent  to  give  battle  to  the  ene- 
my, without  the  advantage  of  the  ground,  and,  therefore,  fell 
back  five  miles,  to  a  position  on  Twenty  Mile  creek,  leaving 
Captain  Gill  with  a  rear  guard  of  twenty  rangers  to  follow. 

This  guard  was  overtaken  by  the  enemy,  and  after  exchang- 
ing a  few  shots,  effected  a  retreat  to  the  position  which  Captain 
Holmes  then  occupied.  At  Twenty  Mile  creek,  there  was  a 
deep  and  wide  ravine,  bounded  on  each  side  by  a  lofty  height. 
On  the  western  height.  Captain  Holmes  had  established  an 
encampment  in  the  form  of  a  hollow  square,  the  detachment 
from  Detroit  being  on  the  north  front  of  the  square,  the  rangers 
on  the  west,  and  the  militia  on  the  south,  and  all  protected  by 
logs  hastily  thrown  together.  The  regulars  of  the  24th  and  28th 
regiments  were  stationed  on  the  brow  of  the  height,  uncovered. 
In  this  situation  the  Americans  awaited  the  attack,  and  Captain 
Holmes,  by  the  skilful  and  judicious  manner  in  which  he  posted 
himself,  compelled  his  superior  enemy  to  commence  it. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  4th,  the  British  appearing  in  few 
numbers,  on  the  eastern  height,  immediately  opposite  to  the 
American  camp,  gave  a  loose  fire  and  retired.  Some  time  having 
elapsed  without  their  reappearance,  Captain  Holmes  despatched 
Lieutenant  Knox,  of  the  rangers,  to  reconnoiter  them,  who  per- 
formed that  duty  with  alacrity,  and  returned  with  an  account 
that  the  enemy,  whose  number  he  judged  to  be  not  more  than 
seventy,  had  retreated  with  such  precipitation  as  to  leave  his  bag- 
gage scattered  on  the  road.  This  retreat  was  made  for  the  pur- 
pose of  drawing  the  Americans  from  the  height,  on  which  the 
British  officer  saw  they  were  so  advantageously  posted.  The 
attempt  was  attended  by  a  partial  success,  for  the  American 
commander  not  being  well  assured  of  the  strength  of  his  adver- 
sary, descended  from  the  camp,  and  followed  him  in  his  retreat. 
Captain  Lee,  who  commanded  the  advance  in  this  march,  which 

44 


346 


AFFAIR   OF  TWENTY   MILE   CREEK. 


'r.  ■ 

I' 


w- 


continued  five  miles,  waa  fortunate  enough  to  discover  the  enemy 
in  full  force,  preparing  for  a  resolute  attack.  The  policy  which 
had  induced  the  British  officer  to  draw  the  American  from  his 
strong  ground,  judging  of  it  by  its  result,  was  founded  in  ex- 
treme weakness.  Having  succeeded  in  seducing  him  to  a  dis- 
tance of  five  miles,  he  supposed  that  Captain  Holmes,  with  an 
inferior  detachment,  almost  worn  out  with  the  hardships  of  a 
fourteen  days'  march,  and  the  severity  of  the  weather,  would 
pause  and  give  battle  to  a  body  of  fresh  troops,  superior  in  num 
hers  and  in  discipline.  He  therefore  never  attempted  to  improve 
the  advantage  he  had  gained,  by  detaching  a  strong  party  to 
cross  the  ravine,  above  the  road  on  which  the  Americans  had 
marched,  and  to  occupy  the  position  which  they  just  aban- 
doned. By  this  act  he  would  have  cut  off  all  communication  in 
the  rear,  and  compelled  Captain  Holmes  to  disperse  his  party  in 
the  wdldemess,  or  to  yield  at  discretion.  In  either  of  these  cases 
the  American  detachment  would  have  been  destroyed. 

APTAIN  HOLMES  fearing,  however,  that 
the  enemy  had  attempted  thus  to  cut  him 
off,  immediately  retreated  to  the  heights,  re- 
established himself  in  his  encampment,  and 
a  second  time  compelled  the  British  regu- 
lars and  their  Indian  allies  to  attack  him 
on  his  own  ground. 

The  rangers  and  many  of  the  infantry,  not  knowing  the  \ns- 
dom  nor  the  necessity  of  the  measure,  exhibited  great  marks  of 
discontent  at  the  retreat,  and  many  of  them  refused  to  fight  the 
enemy.  But  on  his  reappearance  upon  the  opposite  height,  one 
impulse  animated  the  whole  detachment,  which  resolved  on 
repulsing  the  assailants.  The  British  commander  then  made  a 
disposition  to  dislodge  them,  and  throwing  his  militia  and  In- 
dians across  the  ravine,  above  the  road,  he  ordered  them  to  com- 
mence the  attack  upon  the  north,  south,  and  west  sides  of  the 
encampment ;  whilst  he  charged  down  the  road  from  the  oppo- 
site height,  crossed  the  bridge,  and  rushed  furiously  up  the 
height  occupied  by  the  Americans,  on  their  east  or  exposed  side, 
with  an  intention  of  charging  the  regulars.  This  he  did  under 
d  galling  fire,  which  did  not  check  his  advances,  until  within 


REPULSE   OF   THE    BRITISH. 


347 


twenty  i)aces  of  his  object.  There  his  front  section  being  shot 
to  pieces,  and  many  of  those  who  followed  being  wounded,  his 
principal  officers  cut  down,  and  the  fire  of  the  Americans  increas- 
ing in  vivacity,  he  abandoned  the  assault  altogether,  and  took 
shelter  in  the  neighbouring  wood,  at  distances  of  fifteen,  twenty, 
and  thirty  paces.  Having  arrayed  his  forces,  he  commenced  a 
rapid  fire  from  his  cover,  which  was  warmly  returned,  and  in- 
creased on  both  sides.  From  those  parts  of  the  encampment 
protected  by  the  logs,  the  rangers  and  militia  fired  with  great 
coolness  and  precision.  The  regulars  on  the  uncovered  side, 
were  directed  to  kneel,  that  they  might  be  partially  concealed 
by  the  brow  of  the  height,  and  by  these  means  were  enabled  to 
fire  with  more  deliberation  than  their  assailants, 

After  one  hour's  conflict,  the  British  gave  up  all  hopes  of  dis- 
lodging the  detachment,  and  at  twilight  commenced  their  retreat. 
Captain  Holmes  did  not  pursue  them,  because  they  were  still 
superior  in  numbers,  and  might  draw  him  at  night  into  an  am- 
buscade, in  a  country  much  better  known  to  them  than  to  him  ; 
and,  because  he  had  already  gained  a  sufficient  triumph  in  re- 
pulsing and  defeating  the  object  of  an  experienced  foe.  The 
American  loss  amounted  to  six  men  killed  and  wounded.  By 
their  own  official  report,  the  enemy  lost  Captain  Johnson,  Lieu- 
tenant Grame,  and  twelve  men  killed,  and  Captain  Besded, 
(Barden,)  Lieutenant  McDonald,  and  forty-nine  men  wounded, 
making  a  total  of  sixty-seven.  The  whole  American  force  in 
action  was  one  hundred  and  fifty  rank  and  file,  many  of  whom 
fought  and  marched  in  their  stocking  feet,  and  though  the 
weather  is  extremely  cold  in  that  climate,  in  the  month  of 
February,  they  were  not  permitted,  nor  did  they  express  a  wish, 
to  take  a  shoe  even  from  the  dead.  Captain  Holmes  soon  after 
returned  with  his  detachment  to  the  Michigan  territory,  and  re- 
ceived the  thanks  of  the  commandant,  and  the  brevet  rank  of 
ma,jor  from  his  government.  He  spoke  of  all  his  officers  in  very 
flattering  terms,  but  particularly  of  Lieutenants  Kouns  and 
Henry,  and  Ensign  Heard  of  the  2Sth,  and  Lieutenants  Jack 
son  and  Potter  of  the  24th,  because  their  good  fortune  placed 
them  in  opposition  to  the  main  strength  of  the  enemy. 

After  this  event  detachments  were  frequently  sent  out  to  re 


1^  & 


I'll 


Pal 


\  s 


348 


SECURITY   OP  THE  TROOPS. 


connoiter  the  enemy's  country,  but  for  several  weeks  returneil 
without  being  able  to  encounter  any  of  his  troops.  Those  on 
the  American  side  of  Detroit  river,  remained,  therefore,  in  a  state 
of  perfect  security ;  and  the  commanders  of  the  land  and  naval 
forces  employed  the  time  in  projecting  various  plans,  by  which 
to  establish  fortifications  on  the  Lake  St.  Clair ;  to  cut  off  the 
communications  between  Michilimackinac  and  the  Indians ;  and 
to  secure  the  inhabitants  of  the  territory  from  their  incursions. 


Ik 


OPERATIONS   ON  THE    NIAGARA   FRONTIER.        349 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 
®pecationf  on  tfft  l^iagata  JFvontitr. 

O  retrieve  the  disastrous  consequences  of  the 
last  northern  campaign ;  to  regain  the  posses- 
sion of  the  posts  in  Canada,  which  had  been 
obtained  by  conquest,  and  lost  by  the  inefficacy  of  the  means 
provided  to  retain  them ;  to  drive  the  enemy  from  the  occupancy 
of  the  American  garrison  at  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara ;  and  to 
command  the  frontiers  on  both  sides  of  that  stream;  various 
plans  had  been  projected,  numerous  dispositions  i  ade,  and 
measures  were  finally  adopted  for  their  achievement.  To  this 
end,  General  Brown,  now  elevated  to  the  rank  of  major-general, 
was  ordered  to  assemble  and  organize  a  division  of  the  army  at 
and  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Black  Rock  thiCi  Buffalo.  This 
division  consisted  of  two  brigades  of  regulars,  the  first  com- 
manded by  Brigadier-General  Scott,  formerly  of  the  2d  artillery, 
and  the  second  by  Brigadier-General  Ripley,  formerly  of  the 
21st  infantry.  To  these  were  added  a  brigade  of  New  York 
volunteers,  and  a  few  Indians,  under  Brigadier-Generals  Porter 
and  Swift.  During  the  months  of  April,  May,  and  June,  (1^14,) 

2G 


350 


CAPTURE    OF   FORT  ERIE. 


t  If  1- . ; 


hh 


the  concentration  of  this  force  was  effected,  and  the  principal 
part  of  that  time  employed  in  its  discipline. 

The  first  step  towards  the  accomplishment  of  the  objects  ot 
tlie  present  campaign,  was  the  assault  and  capture  of  Fort  Erie 
at  that  time  in  command  of  Major  Buck,  and  garrisoned  by  one 
hundred  and  seventy  officers  and  men  of  the  8th  and  1 00th 
regiments.  On  the  morning  of  the  3d  of  July,  therefore,  in 
obedience  to  General  Brown's  orders,  the  two  brigades  of  regu- 
lars  embarked  for  that  purpose.  General  Scott  with  the  first, 
and  a  detachment  of  artillery,  under  Major  Hindman,  crossed  to 
the  Canada  shore,  about  one  mile  below  Fort  Erie,  and  General 
Ripley  with  the  second,  about  the  same  distance  above.  The 
landing  of  the  second  brigade  was  attended  with  much  difficulty, 
in  consequence  of  the  impossibility  of  approaching  the  shore, 
with  the  gun-boats,  in  which  it  had  embarked.  The  debarka- 
tion was,  therefore,  effected  in  two  small  boats,  capable  of  con- 
taining  at  one  time  not  more  than  fifty  men.  The  first  brigade 
was  on  the  shore  before  a  gun  was  fired  by  the  enemy,  who  had 
a  picket  stationed  near  the  place  of  landing.  From  these  two 
points,  on  the  right  and  left,  the  fort  was  rapidly  approached  by 
the  regulars,  whilst  a  party  of  Indians  who  had  been  crossed 
over,  skirted  the  wood  in  its  rear.  The  garrison,  entirely  unap- 
prized  of  these  movements,  was  completely  surrounded,  and 
General  Brown  demanded  the  quiet  surrender  of  the  post.  A 
few  guns  only  were  fired,  which  wounded  four  men  of  the  25th 
regiment,  under  Major  Jessup,  of  the  first  brigade,  when  Major 
Buck  surrendered  the  fort  to  the  invading  army.  Immedi?te 
possession  was  taken  of  the  garrison,  and  the  prisoners  were 
marched  to  the  interior  of  New  York.  The  passage  of  the  troops 
across  the  channel,  and  the  conveyance  of  the  prisoners  to  the 
American  shore,  was  superintended  by  Lieutenant-Commandant 
Kennedy,  of  the  navy. 

Major-General  Rial,  with  a  division  of  the  British  army,  con- 
stituted of  the  best  disciplined,  and  more  experienced  European 
regulars,  was  at  this  time  intrenched  at  Chii)pewa,  and  thither 
it  was  determined  the  Americans  should  proceed  to  attack  and 
rout  him.  Arrangements  were  therefore  made  for  the  security 
of  the  fort,  and  the  protection  of  the  American  rear,  by  the 


MARCH  TO    CHIPPEWA. 


351 


establishment  of  a  small  garrison,  tinder  Lieutenant  ivIcDonough, 
of  the  artillery,  and  the  disposition  of  the  marine  force,  near  and 
in  fi-ont  of  the  fort. 

On  the  morning  of  the  4th  General  Scott  received  orders  to 
advance  with  his  brigade  and  Towson's  company  of  artillery 
upon  Chippewa.  In  the  course  of  the  same  day  he  was  followed 
by  General  Ripley,  and  the  field  and  park  artillery,  under  Major 
Hindman,  and  by  General  Porter  and  his  volunteers.  On  the 
right  bank  of  Street's  creek,  two  miles  distant  from  the  British 
works,  the  army  was  drawn  up  in  three  lines,  the  first  brigade 
facing  Street's  creek  and  the  bridge,  the  second  brigade  forming 
the  second  line,  and  the  volunteers  the  third.  The  park  of  artil- 
lery was  stationed  on  the  right  of  the  encampment,  between  the 
first  and  second  line,  and  the  light  troops  were  posted  within  the 
same  space  on  ihe  left. 

In  its  approaches  from  Fort  Erie,  along  the  Niagara  to  this 
position,  the  first  brigade  encountered  the  advanced  corps  of  the 
enemy,  strongly  posted  behind  this  creek.  General  Scott  imme- 
diately ordered  Captain  Towson  to  go  forward  with  his  artillery 
and  dislodge  them.  That  gallant  officer,  in  a  few  minutes  com- 
pelled them  to  fall  back,  though  not  till  they  had  intrepidly  de- 
stroyed the  bridge,  over  which  the  advancing  column  would  be 
obliged  to  pass. 

About  the  time  at  which  Captain  Towson  opened  his  battery 
upon  th3  enemy.  Captain  Crocker,  of  the  9th  infantry,  had  been 
directed  to  flank  out  to  the  left  of  the  brigade,  to  cross  the  st:  )am 
above  the  bridge,  and  to  assail  the  right  of  the  enemy's  guard. 
This  movement  was  made  with  so  much  celerity,  that  Captain 
Crocker  reached  the  enemy's  position,  and  was  in  full  pursuit 
of  him  when  the  brigade  column  arrived  at  the  bridge.  After 
retreating  a  short  distance,  the  British  commander  being  aware 
of  the  impossibility  of  Captain  Crocker  receiving  a  reinforce- 
ment of  sufficient  strength  to  combat  the  impetuosity  of  well 
appointed  cavalry,  until  the  bridge  should  be  replaced,  ordered 
his  dragoons  to  turn  upon,  and  cut  up  the  detachment.  Under 
the  eye  of  the  general  commanding  the  brigade,  and  before  the 
pioneers  had  rendered  the  bridge  passable,  Captain  Crocker  was 
surrounded  and  charged  upon  by  a  numerous  troop  t  f  the  Bntisii 


352 


CAPTAIN  CROOKER's  OALLANTRy. 


[.<■!'    it 


19th.  His  brave  detachment  determmed  to  cut  through  this 
superior  force,  fought  their  way  to  a  house  not  far  from  the 
place  of  attack,  and  having  gained  it,  turned,  at  the  order  of  theh 
commander,  upon  the  pursuing  horsemen,  and  having  first 
struck  terror  into  their  ranks,  put  them  to  a  flight  precipitate  as 
their  attack  had  been  impetuous.  At  this  moment,  Captain 
Crocker,  whose  men  might  well  be  exhausted  after  so  vigorous 
an  engagement,  was  relieved  from  ail  apprehension  of  another 
assault  from  a  fresh  body  of  troops,  by  the  arrival  of  Captains 
Hull  and  Harrison,  and  Lieutenant  Randolph,  with  a  small  party 
of  men  who  had  been  hastily  thrown  across  the  stream  to  his 
support.  "  In  partisan  war,"  the  general  of  brigade  observed, 
"  he  had  witnessed  nothing  more  gallant  than  the  conduct  of 
Captain  Crocker  and  his  company." 

At  eleven  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  that  day,  the  encampment 
was  formed  in  the  manner  already  described ;  and  early  on  the 
morning  of  the  5th,  the  enemy  commenced  an  attack  in  various 
detached  parties,  upon  the  picket  guards  surrounding  it.  One 
of  these  was  commanded  by  Captain  Treat,  of  the  21st  infantry, 
and  on  its  return  to  the  camp,  through  a  meadow  of  high  grass, 
was  assailed  by  a  brisk  discharge  of  musketry.  One  man  fell, 
severely  wounded,  and  the  rear  of  the  guard  broke  and  retreated. 
Captain  Treat's  attempts  to  prevent  the  flight  of  the  left  of  his 
detachment  were  mistaken  for  an  intention  to  avoid  the  enemy; 
and  though  he  was  ordered  to  a  neighbouring  wood,  his  guard 
being  first  collected  in  pursuit  of  the  party  that  had  attacked 
him,  he  was  immediately  after  stripped  of  his  command,  upon 
the  ground  of  cowardice,  in  retreating  before  the  enemy,  and  of 
misconduct  in  abandoning  the  wounded  man  to  their  mercy. 
This  man  had,  however,  been  brought  in  by  Captain  Treat's 
orders,  previously  to  his  march  in  quest  of  the  enemy's  party. 
Being  resolved  on  a  participation  in  some  way  or  other  in  the 
approaching  battle,  the  captain  entered  as  a  volunteer,  in  the 
same  company  which  he  had  just  before  commanded ;  and  the 
senior  officer  of  the  21st  regiment  directed  him  to  lead  a  platoon 
into  action.  This  act  was  considered  as  a  manifestation  of  his 
courage  and  patriotism,  and  the  court-martial  before  which  he 
was  tried  dismissed  him  with  an  honourable  acquittal 


wti 


BATTLE   OP  CHIPPEWA. 


S53 


HE  vivacity  of  these  assaults  upon 
the  pickets  gradually  diminished 
until  midday,  after  which  they  were 
revived  with  unabating  vigour. 
General  Riall,  well  acquainted  with 
the  position  of  the  American  forces, 
and  aware  of  their  intention  to  attack 
him,  determined  upon  issuing  from 
his  intrenchments,  and  by  striking 
the  first  blow  to  intimidate,  and 
probably  throw  into  disorder  the  whole  line  of  the  invading 
army.  With  this  view  he  crossed  the  Chippewa  with  every 
species  of  his  force,  threw  his  right  flank,  his  Indians,  and  a 
large  detachment  of  his  light  troops,  into  the  wood,  on  the  left 
of  the  American  encampn\ent,  and  approached  gradually  with 
his  main  body  upon  the  left  bank  of  Street's  creek.  The  move- 
ment in  the  wood  was  discovered  early  enough  to  frustrate  the 
design  of  the  British  commander,  and  General  Brown  ordered 
General  Porter  to  advance  with  the  volunteers  and  Indians,  from 
the  rear  of  the  camp,  to  conceal  himself  from  the  enemy's  view, 
by  entering  the  wood,  to  drive  back  his  light  troops  and  Indians, 
and,  if  possible,  to  gain  the  rear  of  his  scouting  parties,  and 
place  them  between  his  line  and  the  division  of  regulars.  As 
General  Porter  moved  from  the  encampment,  the  American 
outposts  and  advanced  parties  fell  back,  under  the  fire  of  the 
enemy,  in  order  to  draw  him  upon  the  centre  of  the  front  line. 

General  Porter  met,  attacked,  and,  after  a  short  but  severe 
contest,  drove  the  enemy's  right  before  him.  His  route  to  Chip- 
pewa was  intercepted  by  the  whole  British  column,  arrayed  in 
order  of  battle,  and  against  this  powerful  force  the  volunteers 
dcjsperately  maintained  their  ground,  until  they  were  over- 
powered by  the  superiority  of  discipline  and  numbers. 

As  soon  as  the  firing  became  regular  and  heavy  between  the 
volunteers  and  the  enemy.  General  Brown  rightly  conjecturing 
that  all  the  British  regulars  were  engaged,  immediately  ordered 
General  Scott's  brigade,  and  Towson's  artillery,  to  advance  and 
draw  them  into  action  on  the  plains  of  Chippewa.  General  Scott 
had  no  sooner  crossed  the  bridge  over  Street's  creek,  than  he 

383  49 


ff 


■if  f 


^^^m 


m 


I    ,vl 


J 


li'':^ 
W'-' 


i. 
I 

if,  . 


354 


BATTLE   OF   CHIPPEWA. 


['>:•  r 


encountered  and  gave  battle  to  the  enemy.  Captain  Towsoc 
commenced  his  fire  before  the  infantry  battalions  were  in  battle 
array,  and  upon  their  being  formed,  took  post  on  the  river,  with 
three  pieces,  in  front  of  the  extreme  right,  and  thence  played 
upon  the  British  right. 

The  9th  regiment,  and  part  of  the  22d,  forming  the  first  bat- 
tab  on,  under  Major  Leavenworth,  took  position  on  the  right; 
the  second  battalion  (11th  regiment)  was  led  to  its  station  by 
Colonel  Campbell,  who,  being  soon  wounded,  was  succeeded  in 
the  command  of  that  regiment  by  Major  McNeill.  I'he  third 
battalion,  25th  regiment,  was  formed  by  Major  Jessup  on  the 
left,  resting  in  a  wood.  From  this  position  that  officer  was 
ordered  to  turn  the  enemy's  right  wing,  then  steadily  advancing 
upon  the  American  line.  Whilst  this  order  was  in  execution, 
and  Jessup's  battalion  engaged  in  an  animated  contest  with  the 
British  infantry,  he  detached  Captain  Ketchum  with  his  com- 
pany, to  attack  a  superior  detachment,  at  that  moment  coming 
up  to  the  reinforcement  of  the  body  agaiAst  which  the  25th  was 
engaged.  Captain  Ketchum  flanked  out,  encountered  the  Iresh 
detachment,  and  sustained  a  vigorous  and  desperate  engagement, 
until  the  battalion  cleared  its  own  front,  and  marched  to  the 
support  of  his  company. 

This  fortunate  consummation  of  his  plan,  the  major  did  not 
effect  without  a  violent  struggle.  The  British  gave  liim  an 
animated  and  destructive  fire,  his  men  were  falling  around  him 
in  numbers  too  great  to  leave  him  any  hopes  of  victory ;  and  he 
became  at  length,  closely  pressed,  both  in  flank  and  front.  His 
regiment,  nevertheless,  betrayed  not  the  least  disposition  to  falter, 
and  promptly  obeyed  his  order  to  "  support  arms  and  advance," 
under  this  tremendous  fire,  until  a  position  of  more  security  was 
gained.  From  this  he  returned  the  enemy's  fire  with  such  order 
and  rapidity,  that  the  British  right  flank  fell  back,  and  the  bat^ 
talion  was  enabled  to  come  up  in  time  to  co-operate  with  Captain 
Ketchum's  detachment. 

The  whole  line  of  the  enemy  began  about  this  time  to  recoil. 
On  the  American  right,  the  battalion  of  Major  Leavenworth  was 
not  only  engaged  with  the  British  infantry,  but  frequently  ex- 
Dosed  to  the  fire  of  the  batteries.    One  of  his  .ifii'ters.  Captain 


I 


1  Towsoij 
e  in  battle 
iver,  with 
ce  played 

e  first  bat- 

the  right; 

station  by 

cceeded  in 

I'he  third 

up  on  the 

officer  was 

advancint^ 

execution, 

St  with  the 

1  his  cora- 

3nt  coming 

e  25th  was 

d  the  firesh 

igagement, 

ihed  to  the 

LJor  did  not 
ve  liim  an 
iround  him 
ry;  and  he 
front.  His 
oA  to  falter, 
i  advance" 
jcurity  was 
such  order 
nd  the  bat- 
ith  Captain 

le  to  recoil. 
1  worth  was 
luently  ex- 
rs,  Captain 


•n.4t^ 


ii^H 

■p. 

HI 

B' 

IM 

^^^^B 

BATTLE   OF   CHIPPEWA. 


367 


Harrison,  had  his  leg  carried  off  by  a  cannon  ball ;  but  so  doubt- 
ful, at  that  moment,  did  he  consider  the  issue  of  the  battle,  that 
he  would  not  suffer  a  man  to  be  taken  from  his  duty,  to  bear  him 
torn  the  field,  and  supported  the  torture  of  his  wound  with  ex- 
treme fortitude,  until  the  action  ceased. 

Major  McNeill's  battalion  was  also  engaged,  from  the-  com- 
mencement until  the  close  of  the  action,  and,  together  with 
Major  Leavenworth's,  received  the  enemy  on  the  open  plain ; 
of  these  the  9th  and  22d  were  parallel  to  the  attack,  but  the  11th 
had  its  left  thrown  forward  so  as  to  assail  in  front  and  flank,  at 
the  same  time.  Thus  posted,  Ma,iors  Leavenworth  and  McNeill, 
resisted  the  attacks  of  the  enemy  with  great  gallantry  and  zeal. 
On  this  end  of  the  line,  the  fire  was  quite  as  incessant  as  on  the 
left,  and  its  effect  not  less  destructive ;  but  the  troops  displayed 
an  equal  degree  of  animation. 

After  the  lapse  of  an  hour  from  the  commencement  of  the 
battle,  Captain  Towson,  who  had  maintained  his  position  on  the 
river,  notwithstanding  one  of  his  pieces,  had  been  thrown  out  of 
action,  having  completely  silenced  the  enemy's  most  powerful 
battery,  turned  his  remaining  pieces  on  the  infantry,  at  that 
moment  advancing  to  a  charge.  This  accumulation  of  fire,  the 
effective  discharges  of  McNeill's  musketry,  peculiarly  effective 
from  their  oblique  position,  the  steadiness  of  the  two  battalions, 
and  the  apparent  issue  of  the  engagement  between  Jessup's  and 
the  British  right  wing,  compelled  General  Riall  to  retire,  until 
he  reached  a  sloping  ground,  descending  to  Chippewa.  From 
the  point  formed  by  this  ground,  his  troops  fled  in  confusion  to 
their  intrenchments  behind  the  creek,  and  having  regained  their 
works,  retarded  the  approaches  of  the  conquerors,  by  means  of 
their  heavy  batteries,  on  which  alone  they  relied  for  safety  in  the 
event  of  their  being  obliged  to  retire. 

About  the  time  they  commenced  their  charge.  Major  Hind- 
man  had  ordered  forward  Captain  Ritchie's  company  of  artillery, 
and  one  piece,  a  twelve-pounder,  under  Lieutenant  Hall.  They 
arrived  in  time  only  to  participate  in  the  close  of  the  action,  but 
joined  Captain  Towson  in  pursuing  the  enemy,  under  the  fire 
of  his  batteries,  until  he  threw  himself  into  the  intrenchments. 

Whilst  tlie  first  brigade  was  thus  gallantly  engaged  with  this 


U: 


iji 


i« 


I 


I' 

3<i 


358 


RESULTS  OF  THE   BATTLE 


superior  force,  in  which  were  included  the  100th  regimont, 
under  Lieutenant-Colonel  the  Marquis  of  Tweedale,  and  the 
Royal  Scots,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gordon.  General  RipW 
whose  brigade  was  already  formed  in  line  of  battle,  proposed  to 
the  commanding  general,  to  pass  the  left  of  the  first  brigade,  to 
turn  the  enemy's  right,  and  by  taking  a  position  in  his  lear 
prevent  his  retreat  to  the  Chippewa.  But  as  the  volunteers  were 
at  that  moment  falling  beick  from  the  wood,  on  the  left  of  the 
field.  General  Brown  was  of  opinion  that  an  attack  would  be 
made  in  that  quarter,  and  deemed  the  presence  of  Genera! 
Ripley's  brigade  necessary  to  receive  and  repel  it.  A .  the 
moment  of  their  retreat,  however,  he  determined  to  follow  up  the 
victory,  by  advancing  against  their  works  with  all  his  ordnance, 
and  directed  General  Ripley  to  adopt  the  proposition  he  had 
made.  But  such  was  the  precipitation  of  the  retreat,  that  this 
movement  became  unavailing,  and  on  the  report  of  two  recon- 
noitering  officers,  Major  Wood  of  the  engineers,  and  Captain 
Austin,  an  aid  to  the  general,  as  to  the  situation  and  security  of 
the  enemy's  works,  General  Brown  was  induced  to  order  all  his 
troops  back  to  their  encampment. 

HIS  sanguinary  battle  resulted,  as 
may  well  be  supposed,  in  an  im- 
mense loss  on  both  sides.  That  of 
the  Americans  in  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing,  amo^^nted  to  three 
hundred  and  twenty -eight,  sixty  of 
whom  were  killed.  Among  the 
wounded,  were  Colonel  Campbell, 
Captains  King,  of  the  22d,  Read,  of 
the  25th,  and  Harrison,  of  the  42d, 
but  doing  duty  with  the  9th,  Lieu- 
tenants Palmer  and  Brimhall,  of 
the  9th,  Barron,  of  the  Uth,  and 
Dc  Witt  and  Patchim,  of  the  25th.  The  loss  of  the  British,  in 
killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners  was,  according  to  General 
Brown's  report,  three  hundred  and  eight;  but  by  Lieutenant- 
General  Drummond's  returns,  there  were  one  hundred  and 
thirty-nine  killed,  three  hundred  and  twenty  wounded,  and  forty- 


PROMOTION   OF  OFFICERS. 


359 


lix  missing,  making  a  total  of  five  hundred  and  five ;  so  that 
the  number  of  the  wounded  British,  was  nearly  equal  to  the 
aggregate  loss  of  the  Americans.  Among  these  were  the  Mar- 
quis of  Tweedale,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gordon,  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Dickson,  Captain  Holland,  aid-de-camp  to  General  Riall 
seven  captains,  seventeen  lieutenants,  and  four  other  subalterns 

The  liveliest  testimonies  of  the  applause  of  the  people,  and 
the  honourable  approbation  of  the  government  were  given  to 
Generals  Scott  and  Porter.  The  brevet  rank  of  lieutenant- 
colonel  was  conferred  upon  Majors  Jessup,  Leavenworth,  and 
McNeill ;  and  of  major,  upon  Captains  Towson,  Crocker,  and 
Harrison.  But  there  were  other  gallant  and  distinguished 
officers,  who  shared  in  the  perils  and  the  fortunes  of  the  day. 
Among  the  most  conspicuous  of  these  were  Lieutenants  Worth 
and  Watts^  aids  to  General  Scott;  Lieutenant  Smith,  his  major 
of  brigade;  Major  Wood,  of  the  engineers,  who  superintended 
the  construction  of  the  works  at  Fort  Meigs,  during  the  memo- 
rable siege  of  that  garrison ;  Captain  Harris,  of  the  dragoons, 
and  Lieutenant  McDonald,  of  the  second  brigade,  who  penetrated 
a  wood,  and  annoyed  the  enemy's  Indians. 

Intelligence  having  been  communicated  to  Lieutenant-Gene- 
ral  Drummond,  of  the  defeat  of  Major-General  Riall,  that  officer 
was  immediately  reinforced  at  Chippewa,  by  the  8th  or  King's 
regiment,  from  York ;  on  the  arrival  of  which,  he  disposed  his 
troops  in  such  order  as  to  repulse  an  assault  from  the  Americans. 
General  Brown  meanwhile  remained  at  his  encampment  at 
Street's  creek,  and  on  the  8th  of  the  month,  determined  upon  an 
attempt  to  dislodge  General  Riall.  General  Ripley  was  for  this 
purpose  ordered  to  proceed  with  his  brigade  to  a  point  three 
miles  above  the  British  works,  on  the  Chippewa,  to  open  a  road 
of  communication  between  Street's  creek  and  that  point ;  and  to 
construct  a  bridge  over  the  Chippewa,  for  the  passage  of  the 
troops.  This  order  was  executed  with  great  secrecy,  and  with 
out  loss  of  time,  and  the  artillery  was  brought  up  in  the  course 
of  the  day,  to  cover  the  pioneers  whilst  constructing  the  bridge 
The  enemy  had  no  knowledge  of  this  movement  until  the 
brigade  arrived  at  the  creek,  and  the  artillery  was  already 
planted  near  its  margin.    General  Riall,  was  then  informed 


i 


-  til 

Hi 
.'■■y>i 

m 


860 


DEATH  OP  GENERAL  SWIFT. 


1^ 


i^\li 


pw,  ■ 


ft  M    mi 


by  his  outpost  of  these  operations,  and  hastily  foi  warded  a  d©. 
tachment  of  the  royal  artillery  to  check  them.  A  cannonade 
ensued ;  but  such  was  the  effect  produced  by  General  Riplev'g 
artillery,  that  the  British  pieces  were  withdrawn,  the  bridge  was 
soon  after  complete'^,  and  General  Riall  apprehending  an  attack 
on  his  right  flank  and  in  front,  from  the  formidable  arrange- 
ments which  he  saw  in  preparation,  abandoned  his  line  of  de- 
fenses, and  retreated  by  the  road  to  Queenstown.  General  Bro\vn 
occupied  the  enemy's  works  that  evening,  and  on  the  following 
morning,  (the  9th,)  pursued  the  route  to  Queenstown.  Rial!  had, 
however,  retired  to  the  Ten  Mile  creek. 

At  Queenstown  the  American  army  was  then  encamped,  and 
the  commanding  general  held  a  council  of  war,  for  the  purpose  of 
maturing  a  plan  of  future  and  decisive  operations.  On  the  12th, 
Brigadier- General  John  Swift,  second  in  command  to  General 
Porter,  and  the  same  who  had  put  the  British  marines  to  flight  at 
Poultney ville,  having  offered  to  reconnoiter  the  enemy's  position 
at  Fort  George,  was  detached  with  one  hundred  and  twenty 
volunteers,  to  obtain  a  view  of  those  works.  On  his  arrival  within 
its  neighbourhood,  he  surprised  and  captured  an  outpost,  con- 
sisting of  a  corporal  and  five  men ;  one  of  these,  after  having 
surrendered  to  the  detachment  and  requested  quarters,  availed 
himself  of  an  advantageous  moment,  treacherously  fired  at  and 
shot  the  general,  who,  notwithstanding  the  suddenness  of  the 
attack,  and  the  severity  of  his  wound,  instantly  levelled  his  piece 
and  killed  the  assassin.  The  alarm  produced  by  this  fire  brought 
up  a  British  patrolling  pany  of  sixty  men,  against  whom  Gene- 
ral Swift,  regardless  of  tne  persuasion  of  his  oflicers  to  attend  to 
his  wound,  marched  at  the  head  of  his  detachment,  and  com- 
menced an  attack  which  resulted  in  the  retreat  of  the  enemy's 
party.  The  general,  however,  whose  wound  was  mortal,  fell, 
exhausted  by  the  loss  of  blood,  before  the  termination  of  the  skir- 
mish. His  next  officer  beat  the  patrolling  party  into  the  fort, 
and  returned  to  the  encampment  at  Queenstown,  with  the  body 
of  his  expiring  commander.  General  Swift,  whose  loss  was  sin 
cerely  deplored  by  the  whole  army,  and  who  had  served  \vith 
dis,iinguished  reputation,  during  the  war  of  the  revolution,  was 
interred  with  the  usual  ceremonies  and  honours  of  a  soldier. 


ADVANCE    TO    FORT    OEOROE. 


861 


The  whole  volunteer  brigade  to  which  the  general  was  attached, 
golicited  an  opportunity  to  avenge  the  fall  of  their  brave  officer, 
and  an  opportunity  was  not  long  wanted. 

At  the  consultation  which  v/ns  held  by  General  Brown  and 
his  principal  officers,  a  plan  of  attack  upon  Fort  George  was  pro- 
posed ;  and,  to  the  prejudice  of  a  proposition,  submitted  by  Ge- 
neral Ripley,  of  following  up  General  Riall ;  of  driving  him  from 
the  peninsula ;  or  of  striking  as  severe  a  blow  as  that  which  he 
had  received  at  Chippewa,  and  thus  totally  annihilating  his  force— 
v^as  adopted  by  a  majority  of  the  council.  In  order  to  ascertain 
the  possibility  of  capturing  that  fort  by  a  coup  de  main,  the  second 
brigade  and  the  volunteers  were  directed  to  reconnoitor  in  the 
most  secret  manner.  Whilst  General  Ripley  approached  alon^p 
the  Niagara,  General  Porter,  to  whose  brigade  was  attached  two 
field-pieces,  under  Captain  Ritchie,  of  the  regular  artillery,  ad- 
vanced by  the  way  of  St.  David's  and  the  Cross  Roads,  to  Lake 
Ontario,  whence  he  could  obtain  a  full  view  of  Fort  Niagara, 
and  enable  the  principal  engineer,  Major  Wood,  to  examine  the 
works  on  that  side  of  Fort  George.  After  viewing  the  northern 
face  of  Fort  Niagara,  General  Porter  moved  in  upon  Fort 
George,  drove  in  all  the  enemy's  pickets,  and  formed  his  brigade 
in  the  open  plain,  within  a  mile  of  the  fort. 

To  enable  the  engineer  to  examine  the  works  with  more  cer 
tainty,  he  ordered  Lieutenant-Colonel  Wilcox  to  advance  with 
his  command,  under  cover  of  a  small  wood,  within  musket-shot 
of  the  garrison.  These  positions  were  maintained  upwards  of  an 
hour  and  a  half,  during  which  time  the  British  batteries  opened 
upon  the  troops  on  the  plain.  Several  detached  parties  sent  out 
to  attack  the  volunteer  light  troops,  were  successively  repulsed, 
and  the  object  of  the  expedition  being  accomplished.  General 
Porter  moved  round  the  south  side  of  the  fort,  and  joined  Gene- 
ral Ripley's  brigade  on  the  Niagara.  As  he  retired,  the  enemy 
sent  out  several  pieces  of  field  artillery,  and  commenced  a  rapid 
fire  upon  his  rear.  The  brigade,  however,  moved  off  in  good 
order,  with  two  men  wounded ;  Lieutenant  Fontaine,  of  the  ar- 
tillery, and  an  officer  of  the  volunteers,  had  their  horses  killed 
under  them  by  a  cannon  ball.  In  his  approaches  to  the  lake. 
General  Porter  deemed  it  necessary  to  station  videttes  upon  the 

8H  46 


3b2 


ADVANCE  TO  FORT  OEOROE. 


J4 

Mm 


several  roads  leading  to  the  fort.  Five  of  these  were  capt  ■  i 
by  a  party  of  twenty  Canadian  militia,  residing  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood, and  some  of  whom  had  been  in  the  American  en- 
campment,  professing  to  avail  themselves  of  the  terms  of  General 
Brown's  proclamation,  issued  upon  entering  Canada,  "that  all 
persons  demeaning  themselves  peaceably,  and  pursuing  their 
private  business,  should  be  treated  as  friends." 

To  give  more  certainty  and  effect  to  the  assault  of  Forts 
George  and  Niagara,  and  to  the  occupation  of  Queenstown,  St. 
Davids,  and  Newark,  General  Brown,  previously  to  his  passage 
of  the  Niagara  strait,  had  adopted  measures  in  conjunction  with 
Commodore  Chauncey,  for  the  co-operation  of  the  American 
squadron.  On  the  20th  of  July,  he  therefore  moved  with  his 
whole  force  upon  Fort  George,  and  took  a  position  with  a  portion 
of  his  troops  on  Lake  Ontario,  as  well  with  a  view  to  attempt 
that  garrison,  as  to  obtain  some  intelligence  of  the  fleet.  Com- 
modore  Chauncey 's  extreme  illness  prevented  the  sailing  of  the 
fleet  from  the  harbour,  and  General  Brown,  apprehensive  of  an 
attack  upon  the  rear  of  his  army,  and  of  his  communication  with 
the  encampment  being  cutoff*  by  the  militia  then  rising  en  masse, 
fell  back  to  Queenstown  on  the  22d,  to  protect  his  baggage. 
Having  there  received  intelligence  of  the  detention  of  the  fleet, 
he  determined  to  disencumber  the  army  of  its  heavy  baggage, 
and  to  march  against  Burlington  Heights,  on  the  peninsula  be- 
tween which  and  Erie,  the  enemy  had,  in  the  mean  time,  con- 
centrated his  principal  forces.  To  draw  from  Schlosser  a  supply 
of  provisions  necessary  to  this  expedition,  he  retired  on  the  24th 
to  the  junction  of  the  Chippewa  and  Niagara :  with  the  exception 
of  the  9th  regiment,  the  army  encamped  on  the  right  bank  of 
the  Chippewa.  That  regiment  was  posted  on  the  north  side  of 
the  stream,  in  and  near  a  block-house  in  the  advance.  •> 

Lieutenant-General  Drummond,  anxious  to  redeem  the  tar- 
nished reputation  of  the  British  arms,  and  having  now  aug- 
mented his  force,  so  as  to  feel  capable  of  offering  battle,  without 
any  doubt  of  its  successful  result,  forwarded  a  division  under 
General  Riall,  to  Queenstown,  who  occupied  the  heights  there, 
immediately  after  their  abandonment  by  the  Americans.  Frorc 
Queenstown,  General  Riall  threw  a  large  detachment  of  his 


?•  •    .3 


GENERAL   SCOTT   AT  NIAOARA. 


363 


iroops  across  the  Niagara,  to  Levvistown,  with  a  view  to  the 
capture  of  the  American  sick  and  wounded,  at  that  time  in  the 
liospital  at  Schlosser,  and  the  destruction  of  the  baggage,  am 
munition,  and  provisions,  deposited  at  that  place.  By  expresses 
from  Colonel  Swift,  commanding  at  Lewistown,  General  Brown 
vt-as  informed  of  this  movement,  and  almost  at  the  same  moment, 
a  picket  stationed  beyond  the  9th  regiment,  reported  an  advanced 
party  of  the  enemy  on  the  Niagara  road.  To  draw  him  from 
his  purposed  pillage  of  Schlosser,  General  Brown,  having  no 
immediate  means  of  bringing  off  his  sick  and  stores,  nor  of 
transporting  troops  to  their  defense,  ordered  General  Scott  to 
move  with  his  brigade,  then  consisting  of  about  seven  hundred 
men,  and  Towson's  artillery,  still  attached  to  it,  in  the  direction 
of  Queenstown. 

At  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  25th,  (July,)  the  first 
brigade  moved  from  the  encampment  in  light  marching  order, 
the  9th  regiment  being  in  front  of  the  column,  and  Captain 
Harris,  with  a  troop  of  regular  and  volunteer  dragoons,  and  a 
company  of  infantry,  under  Captain  Pentland,  of  the  22d,  con- 
stituting an  advanced  corps.  About  two  miles  and  a  half  from 
the  Chippewa,  and  within  a  short  distance  of  the  Falls  of  Nia 
gara,  the  American  and  British  advanced  parties  came  within 
view  of  each  other,  and  General  Scott  halted  his  column  to 
reconnoiter  the  ground,  and  made  arrangements  for  the  reception 
or  attack  of  the  enemy.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Leavenworth,  with 
the  9th,  consisting  then  of  only  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  was 
immediately  ordered  to  take  the  left  of  the  road,  within  support- 
ing distance  of  the  column,  which,  on  the  execution  of  this 
order,  again  moved  forward,  the  enemy  retiring  before  it. 

On  an  eminence,  near  Lundy's  lane,  at  a  point  chosen  by 
Major-General  Riall,  because  of  the  decided  advantage  of  the 
ground,  the  enemy  was  posted  in  great  strength,  with  a  for 
midable  battery  of  nine  pieces  of  artillery,  two  of  which  were 
brass  twenty-four-pounders,  and  an  extensive  and  heavy  line  of 
infantry.  This  position  was  extremely  favourable  to  the  opera- 
tions of  the  battery,  and  there  the  British  general  had  long 
wished  to  engage  the  troops,  who  had  compelled  him  to  retire 

from  every  other,  at  which  battle  had  been  previously  given  them 
96 


t-il 


:<\K 


304 


BATTLE   OF   NIAGARA. 


M^il 


'  On  the  arrival  of  General  Scott's  column  at  a  narrow  strip  o| 
woods,  by  which  only  the  British  line  was  obscured  from  his 
view,  Captains  Harris  and  Pentland  were  first  fired  on,  and 
gallantly  engaged  the  enemy's  advance,  which  had  gradually 
retreated,  to  draw  the  American  column  to  the  situation  at 
Lundy's  lane.  The  brigade  column  was  again  immediately 
halted,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Leavenworth  ordered  to  his  situation 
and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Jessup,  with  the  25th,  detached  to  attack 
the  left  of  the  British  line.  The  9th,  11th,  and  22d  passed  the 
advanced  corps,  and  moving  to  the  north  of  the  wood,  entered  a 
smooth  field,  in  full  view  of  the  enemy,  and  within  cannister 
distance  of  his  battery.  The  rear  of  the  column  having  cleared 
the  wood.  General  Scott  ordered  the  line  to  be  instantly  formed. 
This  order  was  not  executed  before  the  British  opened  a  tre- 
mendous fire  from  their  battery,  and  the  whole  line  of  tlieir 
infantry  drawn  up  on  its  right,  and  obliquely  in  its  front.  Tow- 
son,  with  his  artillery,  was  stationed  on  the  right  of  the  9tli,  and 
though  they  could  not  be  brought  to  bear  upon  the  eminence 
he  animated  the  American  line,  by  an  incessant  discharge  from 
all  his  pieces. 

Thus  drawn  up  on  both  sides,  the  action  continued  with 
unceasing  animation  upwards  of  an  hour,  ngainst  a  force  then 
almost  thrice  superior  to  the  American  brigade.  In  the  course 
of  that  time,  the  11th  and  22d  regiments,  having  expended  their 
ammunition,  Colonel  Brady  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  McNeil] 
being  both  severely  wounded,  and  all  the  captains  of  the  former, 
and  most  of  the  officers  of  the  latter,  either  killed  or  wounded, 
both  regiments  were  withdrawn  from  action,  and  many  of  the 
officers,  but  principally  subalterns,  attached  themselves  to  the 
9th,  and  fought  under  its  gallant  chief,  in  various  capacities,  and 
with  unusual  courage  ana  perseverence.  Among  these  were 
Lieutenant  Crawford  and  Lieutenant  and  Afljutfint  Sawyer. 
Against  the  chief  part  of  the  British  line,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Leavenworth,  with  the  remains  of  the  9th  alone,  continued  the 
engagement  with  unshaken  firmness  and  braver ry;  and  was  at 
length  directed  to  advance  and  charge  up  the  height,  and  with 
the  11th  and  22d,  to  break  the  enemy's  line.  Reduced  as  these 
three  regiments  already  were,  by  the  excessive  loss  of  officer; 


BATTLE    OP    NIAGARA. 


365 


and  men,  they  nevertheless  steadily  advanced,  with  supported 
arms,  until  General  Scott,  learning  the  shattered  condition  of 
the  nth  and  22d,  countermanded  the  order. 

HE  enemy  was  at  this  moment  pressing 
upon  the  left  of  the  line ;  the  right  of 
the  9ih  was,  therefore,  thrown  forward 
to  meet  and  repulse  him,  and  the  whole 
rf>giment  commenced  a  fire  more  ani- 
mating, if  possible,  but  certainly  more 
destructive  than  the  first.  It  is  scarcely 
possible  to  do  justice  to  the  conduct  of 
this  gallant  regiment,  or  of  its  intrepid 
commander.  It  had  already  given  such 
signal  instances  of  individual  valour,  as 
were  never  surpassed  upon  an  open  field.  But  valour  alone  is  not 
competent  to  resist  the  repeated  assaults  of  a  numerous  and 
increasing  foe ;  and  against  a  prodigious  inequality  of  numbers, 
it  is  sometimes  little  less  than  madness  to  contend.  The  9th 
regiment  was  at  length  reduced  to  nearly  half  the  number  with 
which  it  had  entered  the  field,  and  being  still  pressed  by  the 
enemy,  who  frequently  charged  with  a  fresh  line,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Leavenworth  despatched  an  officer  to  General  Scott,  to 
communicate  its  condition.  The  general  having  been  just 
informed  of  the  approach  of  reinforcements  from  the  Chippewa, 
rode  immediately  to  the  position  of  that  regiment  and  directed 
it  to  maintain  its  ground. 

That  indefatigable  and  excellent  reconnoitering  officer.  Lieu- 
tenant Riddle,  of  the  15th  infantry,  had  been  sent  out  in  the 
morning,  with  a  party  of  one  hundred  men,  to  scour  the  sur- 
rounding country.  He  had  not  proceeded  more  than  three  miles 
from  the  encampment,  when,  in  attempting  to  gain  the  rear  of  a 
scout  of  the  enemy,  he  was  informed  by  several  of  the  inhabitants, 
of  his  being  close  upon  a  division  of  three  thousand  of  the  British 
rroops.  At  the  time  of  his  leaving  the  camp.  General  Brown 
had  not  been  apprized  of  the  contiguity  of  the  enemy,  and  Lieu- 
tenant Riddle,  therefore,  hastened  back  with  all  possible  speed 
to  communicate  the  intelligence.  The  nature  of  the  ground  over 
which  he  had  to  retrace  his  steps,  and  the  extreme  caution  with 

3h2 


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BpTifJ'  .     . 


':' '.  *  ''m 


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Ill.^'S 


366 


LIEUTENANT  RIDDLE's  REINFORCEMENT. 


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41 

which  it  was  necessary  to  proceed,  to  avoid  reconnoitering  de- 
tachments of  the  enemy,  lengthened  his  distance  from  the  head- 
quarters upwards  of  five  miles.  He  had  not  arrived  at  the  posi- 
tion  of  the  Americans  at  Chippewa,  when  he  was  apprized  of 
the  meeting  of  the  hostile  armies,  by  the  repeated  and  heavy 
discharges  of  artiliery.  Naturally  concluding  that  General 
Brown's  whole  force  had  proceeded  to  the  field  of  battle,  and  not 
hesitating  a  moment  as  to  the  course  he  should  pursue,  he 
wheeled  his  detachment  upon  the  Niagara  road,  and  immediately 
marched  to  a  participation  in  the  engagement.  This  detach- 
ment was  the  first  reinforcing  party  which  arrived  to  the  relief 
of  the  first  brigade,  and  General  Scott  stationed  it  on  his  extreme 
left,  with  directions  to  Lieutenant  Riddle  to  watch  the  motions 
of  the  British  riflemen  and  Indians. 

By  the  same  circumstance,  the  report  of  the  artillery.  General 
Brown  was  also  first  informed  of  the  commencement  of  the  ac- 
tion, and  of  its  scene,  and  having  directed  General  Ripley  to 
follow  with  the  second  brigade,  was  already  on  his  way  to  the 
falls,  when  he  met  the  assistant  adjutant-general.  Major  Jones, 
returning  to  the  encampment  at  full  speed  for  reinforcements. 
The  intelligence  communicated  by  Major  Jones,  induced  the 
commander-in-chief  to  despatch  him  to  order  up  General  Por- 
ter's volunteers,  in  addition  to  the  second  brigade,  and  the  park 
of  artillery.  .  General  Brown  then  rode  hastily,  with  his  aids, 
accompanied  by  Major  McRee,  of  the  engineers,  towards  the 
field  of  battle,  and  on  his  further  advance  was  met  by  a  second 
messenger.  Major  Wood,  also  of  the  engineers,  and  who  had 
marched  with  General  Scott's  brigade.  From  this  gallant  and 
accomplished  officer,  he  received  a  report  of  the  close  and  san- 
guinary character  of  the  action,  and  directed  him  to  return  with 
him  to  the  field. 

Exhausted  and  reduced  as  the  9th,  11th,  and  22d  regiments 
already  were,  another  vigorous  onset  from  the  enemy,  suffi- 
ciently numerous  to  interpose  occasionally  a  fresh  line,  might 
probably  decide  the  fate  of  the  day,  before  the  arrival  of  the  ap- 
proaching reinforcements.  The  determined  and  obstinate  man- 
ner, however,  in  which  they  had  already  received  and  repulsed 
the  gallant  and  repeated  charges  of  the  British  infantry,  induced 


tdi 


BfV 


f. 


w 


ADVANCE    OF    GENERAL    BROWN. 


367 


Major-General  Riall  to  overate  their  force.  But  to  whatever 
measure  of  strength  these  intrepid  regiments  amounted,  he  knew 
also,  thai  the  number  of  his  combatants  would  be  augmented 
from  the  camp  at  Chippewa,  and  being  assured  of  the  necessity, 
in  that  event,  of  enlarging  his  own  force,  he  despatched  messen- 
(rers  to  Lieutenant-General  Drummond,  at  Fort  George,  to  in- 
form him  of  the  desperate  nature  of  the  conflict.  Until  this 
period  of  the  engagement,  his  force,  including  the  incorporated 
militia  and  some  Indians,  amounted  to  sixteen  hundred  and 
thirty-seven  men,  being  more  than  double  the  strength  by  which 
he  was  opposed. 

Major-General  Brown  arrived  at  the  scene  of  this  obstinate 
struggle,  about  the  time  at  which  General  Scott  ordered  the  9th 
regiment  to  maintain  its  ground,  and  seeing  the  exhausted  state 
of  the  troops,  and  the  shattered  condition  of  the  brigade,  deter- 
mined on  holding  it  in  reserve,  whilst  the  reinforcing  troops 
should  continue  the  engagement.  The  9th,  11th,  and  22d  regi- 
ments were,  therefore,  consolidated  into  one  battalion,  under 
Colonel  Brady,  who,  though  wounded,  refused  to  quit  the  field 
until  the  result  of  the  engagement  should  be  known.  General 
Ripley's  brigade,  Major  Hindman's  artillery,  and  General  Por- 
ter's volunteers,  all  of  whom  had  marched  with  unusual  rapidity 
over  a  difficult  road,  were  now  within  a  short  distance  of  Lundy's 
lane.  General  Riplsy  being  in  the  advance,  and  within  half  a 
mile  of  the  field,  immediately  despatched  his  aid-de-cai^ ;  ,  Lieu- 
tenant McDonald,  of  the  19th  infantry,  to  inform  Geuer  il  Brown 
of  his  approach,  and  to  receive  instructions  as  to  the?  rituatiou.  of 
the  enemy,  and  orders,  as  to  the  disposition  of  hifa  ►brigade. 

Immediately  before  the  arrival  of  General  Ripity,  iv  tenipoT*ary 
pause  prevailed  between  the  two  armies ;  an  awful  and  (but  for 
the  groans  of  the  wounded  soldiers)  an  unbroken  silence  was 
preserved  among  the  troops  on  either  side :  the  impetuous  descent 
of  the  stupendous  cataract  of  the  Niagara,  alone  interrupted  the 
pervading  stillness,  and  contributed  to  the  solemnity  and  gran- 
deur of  the  scene ;  and  the  leaders  of  both  forces  having  fallen 
back  to  their  original  positions,  seemed  mutually  disposed  to  a 
momentary  cessation  of  the  sanguinary  and  fatiguing  strife. 
The  arrival  of  these  reinforcements,  under  General  Ripley,  and 


368 


CAPTURE  OF  GENERAL  RIALL. 


l-v' 


of  others,  umJer  Lieutenant-General  Drummond  put  an  end  to 
this  suspension  of  hostilities,  and  the  engagement  was  renewed 
with  augmented  vigour. 

Major  Hindman's  artillery  being  brought  up,  the  companies 
of  Captains  Biddle  and  Ritchie,  in  addition  to  Towson's  detach- 
ment, soon  came  into  action,  and  General  Porter's  volunteers 
were  displayed  upon  the  left  of  General  Scott's  brigade. 
Lieutenant  McDonald,  who  had  been  despatched  for  orders 
having  met  Captain  Spencer,  one  of  the  aids  of  the  commander- 
in-chief,  bearing  orders  for  the  second  brigade  to  form  on  the 
skirts  of  the  wood,  to  the  right  of  the  first,  immediately  returned 
to  General  Ripley  with  these  directions. 

Meanwhile  the  25th  regiment,  under  I.ieutenant-Colonel  Jes- 
sup,  which  had  been  ordered,  in  the  early  part  of  the  action,  to  take 
ix)st  on  the  right,  had  gallantly  contended  against,  and  succeeded 
in  turning  the  enemy's  left  flank.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Jessup, 
availing  himself  of  the  extreme  darkness  of  the  night,  and  of  the 
incaution  of  the  British  general,  in  not  placing  a  proper  guard 
across  a  road  upon  his  left,  threw  his  regiment  in  the  rear  of  the 
enemy's  reserve,  and  surprising  one  detachment  after  another, 
made  prisoners  of  so  many  of  their  officers  and  men,  that  the  opera- 
tions of  his  firearms  was  constantly  impeded.  General  Drummond, 
who  was  now  commanding  in  person  the  front  line  of  the  enemy, 
having  determined  on  concentrating  his  whole  force,  and  leading 
it  to  the  attack  of  General  Scott's  brigade,  in  front,  and  on  each 
flank,  had  despatched  his  aid-de-camp,  Captain  Loring,  to  brin^ 
up  General  Riall  with  the  reserve.  It  was  the  good  fortune, 
however,  of  Captain  Ketchum,  of  this  regiment,  whose  eminent 
services  greatly  contributed  to  the  victorious  issue  of  the  battle 
at  Chippewa,  to  make  prisoners  of  Major-General  Riall,  who 
was  wounded  in  the  arm,  and  the  aid  of  Lieut enant-General 
Drummond,  before  the  reserve  was  put  in  motion. 

Had  this  concentration  of  General  Riall's  line,  with  that  of 
General  Drummond  been  effected,  the  reduced  brigade,  com- 
posed now  only  of  the  consolidated  battalion,  could  not  at  this 
moment,  and  without  the  support  of  the  second  brigade,  have 
withstood  the  assault  of  so  overwhelming  a  force ;  and  the 
nnovement  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Jessup,  therefore,  unquestion- 


GALLANTRY  OF  COLONEL  JESSUP. 


369 


ably  saved  that  battalion.  Having  hastily  adopted  proper  ar- 
rangements for  the  disposal  of  his  prisoners,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Jessup  felt  his  way  to  the  spot  where  the  warmest  fire  was  kept 
up  upon  the  brigade  to  which  he  belonged.  Eastwardly  of 
Lundy's  lane,  and  on  the  south  of  the  Queenstown  road,  he 
drew  up  his  regiment  behind  a  fence,  from  which  he  could 
effectually  annoy  the  enemy.  A  party  of  the  British  infantry- 
were  at  that  time  drawn  up  in  front  of  a  fence,  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  sam^  road.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Jessup's  approach  to 
his  present  position,  had  been  made  with  so  much  secrecy,  that 
they  did  not  know  he  was  there,  until  they  received  a  deadly 
and  destructive  fire,  which  compelled  them  to  break  and  fly 
along  tlie  Queenstown  road.  By  the  blaze  of  this  fire,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Jessup  was  discovered  to  Major-General  Brown,  who 
rode  up,  applauded  his  conduct,  and  directed  him  to  move  by 
Lundy's  lane,  and  form  upon  the  right  of  the  second  brigade. 

The  operations  of  that  brigade  were  all  this  time  carried  on 
with  the  utmost  brilliancy  and  success.  When  his  aid-de-camp 
communicated  the  order  of  the  commander-in-chief.  General  Rip- 
ley saw  the  impracticability  of  operating  upon  the  enemy,  from 
the  position  at  which  he  was  directed  to  display  his  column ; 
or  of  advancing  from  it,  in  line,  upon  an  emergency,  through  a 
close  wood.  At  the  same  moment,  too,  General  Drummond's  in- 
fantry and  all  his  artillery  had  commenced  h  galling  fire  upon 
General  Scott's  brigade,  which  could  only  be  supported  by  a 
direct  movement  of  the  second  brigade,  upon  the  centre  of  the 
enemy's  line.  The  i .  ipenetrable  darkness  of  the  night  rendered 
it  difticult  for  the  generals  of  brigade  at  all  times  to  find  the 
commander-in-chief,  or  each  other,  and  General  Ripley,  there- 
fore determined  to  assume  a  responsibility,  by  adopting  in  time, 
the  only  movement  which  could  save  the  first  brigade  from  in 
evitable  destruction,  and  ultimately  achieve  the  victory. 

He  therefore  proposed  to  Colonel  Miller,  the  same  who  had 
distinguished  himself  in  the  earliest  stage  of  the  war  at  Maguaga, 
and  who  now  commanded  the  21st,  or  Ripley's  old  regi- 
ment, to  storm  the  enemy's  battery  with  that,  whilst  he  would 
support  him  by  leading  up  the  2,Sd,  a  younger  and  less  ex- 
])erienced  regiment,  to  a  charge  upon  the  British  flank.   Colonel 

"     ■■  -      47  ■  •    ■     ■'■■  ■■  ■■  ''  ■ 


In 

^1 


im 


11'    MV'^ 


■'t*^? 


iiii' 


370 


DISPOSITION    OF    THE    REGIMENTS. 


Colonel  MUI«r  al  Luiidy'i  Lano. 

MilK^i .  well  knowing  the  perilous  nature  of  this  duty,  replied  to 
his  g.^aeral,  "iVZ/^y,  sir,''*  and  immediately  put  his  regiment 
in  readiness  by  forming  it  in  line,  on  the  left  of  the  road, 
directly  in  front  of  his  object.  The  23d  was  at  the  same  time 
formed  in  close  column  by  its  commander,  Major  McFarland, 
and  the  first  which  had  arrived  that  day  under  Lieutenant-Colo- 
nel Nicholas,  from  a  long  and  fatiguing  march,  was  directed  to 
menace  the  enemy's  infantry.  Whilst  these  dispositions  were 
making.  General  Ripley  despatched  his  aid  to  apprize  General 
Brown  of  the  impossibility  of  forming  on  the  skirt  of  the  wood, 
and  of  the  measures  which  he  had  in  consequence  adopted.  The 
commander-in-chief  highly  commended  the  design  of  the  briija- 
dier-generaJ,  and  instantly  authorized  its  execution.  With  hearts 
panting  for  the  accomplifamerif  of  this  enterprise,  these  regi- 
ments moved  forward  uiider  a  rapid  and  destructive  fire, 
directed  against  them,  at  rl.'  ir  very  onset,  oy  the  enemy's  whole 
line  of  musketry  and-  every  piece  of  his  cannon.  The  21st 
nevertheless,  promptly  pressed  forward;  the  23d  faltered. 
It  was,  however  instantly  rallied  by  the  personal  exertions  of 
General  Ripley,  who  led  it  up  to  the  contemplated  charge.  At 
a  distance  of  little  more  than  one  hundrtnl  yards  from  the  to; 

*  Words  afterwards  worn  on  the  buttons  of  the  2Ist  regiment. 


CAPTtfRE    OF    THE    BRITISH    BATTERY. 


371 


of  the  eminence,  on  wliich  the  British  cannon  were  posted,  and 
which  these  regiments  were  necessarily  obliged  to  ascend,  they 
received  another,  and  equally  as  severe  a  discharge  from  the 
musketry  and  heavy  pieces. 

The  21st  was  now,  however,  too  much  enamoured  of  its 
object,  and  the  23d  too  obstinately  determined  on  retrieving 
its  fame,  to  betray  the  smallest  disposition  to  recoil  from 
the  near  consummation  of  their  bold  and  hazardous  enterprise. 
By  this  fire.  Major  McFarland,  of  the  23d,  was  killed,  and 
the  commrnd  of  that  regiment  devolved  upon  Major  Brooke, 
an  officer  of  no  less  intrepidity"  and  valour.  The  description 
of  a  more  brilliant  and  decisive  movement  may  never  have 
been  registered  on  the  page  of  history.  To  the  amazement 
of  the  whole  British  line,  Colonel  Miller  steadily  and  silently 
advancing  up  the  eminence,  until  within  a  few  paces  of  the 
enemy's  cannon,  impetuously  charged  upon  the  artillerists,  and 
after  a  short  but  desperate  contest,  carried  the  whole  battery, 
and  instantly  formed  his  lint  :*n  its  rear,  upon  the  same  ground 
on  which  the  British  infantry  had  been  previously  posted. 

In  carrying  the  heaviest  pieces,  the  21st  regiment  expe- 
rienced severe  losses,  several  officers  of  distinguished  bravery 
and  merit,  being  either  killed  or  wounded.  Lieutenant  Cilley, 
who  commanded  an  advanced  company  of  Ihat  regiment,  by  a 
resolute  and  unexampled  effort,  carried  one  of  the  guns,  and  fell 
wounded  by  its  side  immediately  after.  Ke  had  advanced  upon 
it  mth  such  rapidity,  as  to  bayonet  the  men  stationed  at  it  before 
they  had  time  to  escape,  and  cut  dowi  with  his  own  hand,  an 
artillerist  who  was  apphdng  a  match  to  the  piece.  In  the  same 
charire  Lieutenant  Bigelow  was  killed,  and  Captain  Burbank, 
md  Ensigns  Jones  and  Thomas,  and  Lieutenant  Fisk,  of  the  1 9th, 
md  Ensign  Camp,  of  the  2d  rifle,  both  attached  to  the  21st  were 
wounded. 

The  advance  of  the  23d  upon  the  British  infantry  supporting 
the  cannon,  being  as  prompt  as  that  of  the  21st,  both  regiments 
pierced  the  enemy's  line  at  the  same  instant.  Major  Brooke, 
in  obedience  to  the  order  of  General  "Ripley,  led  his  battalion, 
under  the  eye  of  his  commander,  into  the  very  ranks  of  the 
enomy,  and  putting  them  to  a  hasty  and  disorderly  retreat, 


f  1 


i| 


iii 


r  7 


■i 


i 


] 


V 


372 


ADVANCE  OF  GENERAL  DRUMMOND. 


r 


i.h  M 


marched  up  to  the  relief  of  Colonel  Miller,  who,  though  he  had 
formed  his  line  in  the  rear  of  the  captured  battery,  had  not  yet 
driven  the  enemy  below  the  eminence,  and  was  at  this  moment 
closely  pressed,  almost  at  its  summit.  By  the  junction  of  these 
two  regiments,  however,  and  the  bringing  into  line  of  the  first, 
the  fate  of  this  assault  was  determined,  the  British  infantry  and 
artillerists  retired  beyond  the  reach  of  musketry,  and  their  own 
cannon  were  turned  against  them. 

The  features  of  the  action  now  began  to  assume  a  new  cha- 
racter. The  heights  from  which  the  enemy  had  been  thus  gal- 
lantly dislodged,  being  a  very  commanding  position,  the  main- 
tenance of  them  would  alone  determine  the  issue  of  the  conflict, 
and  General  Ripley  immediately  formed  his  line  for  the  protection 
of  the  newly  acquired  battery,  and  prepared  to  receive  the  a  saults 
which  he  rightly  conjectured  would  be  made  for  its  recovery. 

When  the  capture  of  General  Riall  was  announced,  before  the 
dislodgment  of  the  British  from  the  eminence,  the  elation  of  the 
first  brigade  was  manifested  by  three  loud  huzzas,  which  brought 
a  shell  from  the  enemy,  that  fell  in  Major  Hindman's  corps  and 
exploded  a  casson  of  ammunition  belonging  to  the  company  of 
the  brave  and  lamented  Captain  Ritchie,  who,  being  mortally 
wounded  in  the  course  of  the  engagement,  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  British.  Major  Hindman  was  now  directed  to  bring  up  his 
corps,  including  Towson's  detachment,  and  post  himself,  with 
his  own  and  the  captured  cannon,  on  the  right  of  General  Rip- 
ley's  brigade,  and  between  it  and  the  25th ;  on  the  left  of  the 
second  brigade,  General  Porter's  volunteers  were  then  ranged. 

The  line  being  thus  formed,  at  the  expiration  of  a  short  inter- 
val, Lieutenant-General  Drummond,  incensed  beyond  measure 
at  the  capture  of  his  artillery,  resolved  on  regaining  it,  and  being 
strongly  reinforced,  advanced  upon  General  Ripley,  with  a 
heavy  and  extended  line,  outflanking  him  on  both  extremes.  In 
anticipation  of  his  approach,  which  could  only  be  discovered  by 
the  sound  attending  it.  General  Ripley  had  directed  his  troops 
to  reserve  their  fire,  until  they  had  received  that  of  the  asailants, 
and,  if  necessary,  to  feel  the  bayonets,  before  they  should  dis- 
charge their  pieces,  with  the  double  view  of  drawing  the  advanc- 
ing line  v/ithin  close  striking  distance,  and  of  making  his  own 


REPULSE   OF  THE   BRITISH. 


373 


fire  more  deadly  and  effective,  by  giving  it  a  direction  by  th« 
flashes  of  the  enemy's  musketry. 

On  the  other  hand,  Lieutenant-General  Drummond,  thus  reso- 
lutely determined  on  the  recovery  of  his  cannon,  gave  a  peremp- 
tory order  to  all  his  platoon  officers,  to  advance  steadily,  and 
without  regard  to  the  fire  of  the  American  line ;  and  after  attain- 
ing a  given  distance,  to  make  a  prompt  and  vigorous  charge,  and 
if  possible,  to  fall  directly  upon  the  cannon.  His  whole  division 
therefore,  marched  at  a  quick  step,  until  it  came  within  twenty 
paces  of  the  summit  of  the  height,  when  the  several  regiments 
received  orders  to  pour  in  a  rapid  fire  upon  the  American  line, 
and  to  follow  it  with  an  immediate  appeal  to  the  bayonet.  This 
fire  was  no  sooner  delivered,  than  the  second  brigade,  the  volun- 
teers, and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Jessup's  regiment,  instantaneously 
returned  it,  and  threw  the  enemy's  line  into  a  momentary  con- 
fusion. But,  being  immediately  rallied,  it  returned  to  a  conflict 
more  tremendous  than  any  which  had  been  witnessed  in  that 
day's  battle.  Upwards  of  twenty  minutes,  one  blaze  of  fire  suc- 
ceeded another,  in  each  line ;  sections,  companies,  and  regiments, 
mutually  fell  back,  and  were  successively  rallied,  and  again 
brought  into  action ;  but  at  length  the  British  line  was  forced 
back,  and  the  doubtful  contest  terminated  in  their  retiring  to  the 
lower  extremity  of  the  hill. 

It  was  not  to  be  supposed,  however,  that  the  enemy,  the  great- 
est proportion  of  whose  troops  had  been  accustomed  to  desperate 
feats  of  valour,  and  had  encountered  the  most  experienced  bat- 
talions of  the  European  armies,  had  yet  consented  to  yield  to 
an  army  but  lately  made  up  of  the  rawest  materials,  what  in 
that  event  would  be  considered  the  trophies  of  a  victory. 
Measures  were  accordingly  instantly  adopted  by  General  Rip- 
ley to  remove  his  wounded,  and  restore  his  line  to  proper  order. 

Whilst  this  splendid  repulse  was  given  to  the  assault  of  the 
enemy,  General  Scott's  consolidated  battalion,  which  had  been 
until  this  time  held  in  reserve,  was  drawn  up  in  the  rear  of  the 
second  brigade,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Leavenworth,  Colonel 
Brady's  wounds  having  rendered  him  unfit  for  active  duty 
General  Scott's  brigade  major,  Lieutenant  Smith,  and  his  aid, 
^^ptain  Worth,  being  at  this  time  both  severely  wounded,  he 

SI 


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874 


SE<;OND   ADVANCE    OF   DRUMMOND. 


^rmi 


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fm 


r'fii 


S-LS^iJ, 


General  Miller. 


selected  an  aid  from  the  9th  regiment,  and  forming  the  battalior. 
mto  colimm,  marched  it  across  the  field,  and  displayed  it  on  a 
narrow  lane,  parallel  with  and  to  the  south  of  Lundy's  lane. 
From  this  positic  n  he  despatched  Lieutenant^Colonel  Leaven- 
worth to  seek  the  commander-in-chief,  and  to  receive  his  orders 
as  to  tin;  di-^position  of  the  battalion.  General  Brown  being 
conducted  to  'Is  positi('n  by  the  colonel,  a  short  Qonversatiori 
followed  between  the  two  generals,  the  result  of  which  was  the 
immediate  movement  of  General  Scott's  command  into  Lundy's 
lane,  where  it  was  o  be  formed,  with  its  right  towards  the  Nia 
gara  road,  and  its  left  in  the  rear  of  the  captured  battery. 

Having  given  a  new  arrangement  to  his  troops.  General  Drum* 
mond,  after  a  lapse  of  half  an  hour,  was  discovered  to  be  ad- 
vancing to  a  second  charge.  He  was  received  with  undiminished 
firmness,  and  General  Ripley's  order  to  retain  the  fire  being  re- 
peated, the  whole  British  line  discharged  its  musketry  from  the 
same  point  at  which  it  had  previously  paused.  The  light  which 
\vas  thence  emitted,  enabled  the  Americans  to  fire  with  the  ut- 
most precision,  and  to  check  the  enemy's  nearer  advance.  The 
repeated  discharges  of  Major  Hindman's  artillery,  which  was 
served  with  uncommon  skill  and  regularity,  were  severely  felt 
by  the  advancing  line,  and  the  officers  attached  to  it  behaved 
with  coolness  and  gallantry. 


GENERAL    SCOTT's    CHARGE. 


37ft 


The  situation  on  the  top  of  the  eminence  gave  many  and  de- 
cided advantages  to  General  Ripley's  command ;  scarcely  a  shot 
was  lired,  which  failed  of  hitting  its  object,  whilst  the  fire  of  the 
British,  being  more  elevated,  generally  went  over  the  heads  ol 
the  Americans.  General  Ripley  being  of  a  tall  stature,  ana 
mounted  within  eight  paces  of  the  rear  of  his  line,  was  by  this 
circmnstance  constantly  exposed  to  the  enemy's  balls.  His  horse 
•A-as  wounded  under  him,  and  his  hat  twice  perforated  in  the 
coarse  of  the  second  attack.  After  the  first  discharge,  in  this 
effort  to  regain  his  battery,  the  British  general  dnt(  nining  to 
break  the  centre  of  the  American  line,  composed  •!  the  21st 
re^^iment,  and  detachments  of  the  17th  and  19th  ellrd  his 
fire  at  that  point.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  p'  as,  the 
21st,  however,  remained  unshaken.  These  being  iamied lately 
rallied  by  General  Ripley,  the  contest  continued  with  great  vi- 
vacity, until  the  enemy  finding  he  could  not  make  another 
impression  on  the  American,  and  feeling  his  own  line  recoiling, 
atrain  fell  back  to  the  bottom  of  the  eminence. 

Immediately  after  the  commencement  of  this  second  contest, 
tlie  remains  of  the  first  brigade  were  also  brought  into  action. 
At  the  time  of  the  second  discharge,  the  two  lines  being  nearly 
parallel,  and  enveloped  in  a  blaze  of  fire.  General  Scott,  who 
liad  approached  the  top  of  the  eminence  to  ascertain  their  situa- 
tion, now  rode  hastily  back  to  his  brigade,  demanded,  in  an  ani- 
mated voice,  of  Colonel  Leavenworth,  ''are  these  troops  prepared 
fvr  the  charge?'^  and,  without  waiting  for  a  reply,  ordered  them 
into  close  columns,  their  left  in  front,  and  to  move  forward  and 
charge.  This  order  being  executed  almost  as  soon  as  it  was 
^ven,  the  general  led  up  the  column,  and  passing  between 
the  pieces  of  artillery,  advanced  upon  the  enemy's  left. 

The  gallantry  of  General  Scott's  troops,  however,  could  not 
prevail  against  a  double  line  of  infantry,  by  which  the  British 
flank  was  supported,  and  this  charge  being  met  with  unexpected 
firmness,  the  consolidated  battalion  fell  back,  and  passed  to  the 
extreme  left  of  General  Porter's  volunteers,  who  were  all  this 
time  warmly  engaged  with  the  enemy.  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Leavenworth  was  then  ordered  to  reform  the  column,  and  ♦€ 
change  its  front,  which,  being  done.  General  Scott  led  it  to  a 


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Photographic 

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Corporation 


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WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

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376 


GENERAL  SCOTT  WOUNDED. 


second  charge,  and  made  a  resolute  attempt  to  turn  the  enemy's 
right.  This  flank  being  also  protected  by  a  double  line,  the 
attempt  Avas  not  more  successful  than  the  former ;  and  the  bat- 
talion  again  falling  back,  was  ordered  to  form  on  the  left  of  the 
line,  whilst  the  general  passed  to  the  right,  and  joining  Lieute 
nant-Colonel  Jessup's  regiment,  had  his  shoulder  fractured  by  a 
musket  ball,  and  almost  at  the  same  instant,  received  a  severe 
wound  in  the  side,  which  compelled  him  to  leave  the  field ;  not, 
however,  without  having  first  returned  to  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Leavenworth,  whom  he  ordered  to  move  to  the  right  of  the  line 
and  consolidate  his  battalion  with  the  26tli  regiment,  the 
commander  of  which  was  also  severely  wounded.  General  Scott 
had  hitherto  escaped  the  fire  of  the  enemy  with  singular  good 
fortune :  he  had  been  constantly,  and,  probably,  too  often,  in  the 
most  exposed  situations :  he  led  his  troops  in  person  to  the  sepa- 
rate charges,  and  never  shrunk  from  any  part  of  the  engagement, 
however  desperate  or  dangerous.  He  was  now  conveyed  to  the 
encampment  at  Chippewa,  whence  he  was  soon  after  removed 
to  the  American  side  of  the  Niagara. 

AVING  thus  failed  in  two  vigorous  and 
determined  efforts  for  the  recovery  of  his 
pieces,  the  British  general  began  to  despair 
of  any  better  success  from  a  third ;  but  the 
fortunate  arrival  of  another  reinforcing  party 
from  Fort  George,  now  protected  by  four 
of  the  British  fleet,  reanimating  his  troops, 
he  put  them  in  readiness  for  another  charge,  by  forming  a  fresh 
line  with  the  new  detachment.  Upwards  of  half  an  hour  having 
elapsed  since  his  second  repulse,  it  was  considered  very  doubtful 
by  the  Americans,  whether  their  ability  to  maintain  their  ground 
would  be  put  to  another  trial.  Excessively  fatigued  by  the 
violence  of  the  last  struggle,  their  canteens  being  exhausted,  and 
no  water  (an  article  now  almost  as  indispensable  as  ammuni- 
tion) at  hand  to  replenish  them,  it  would  be  wondered  at  if  they 
had  either  courted  or  desired  a  renewal  of  the  contest.  But  they 
were  determined  to  lose  no  part  of  the  reputation  which  they 
had  that  night  acquired,  and  if  the  cannon  were  again  to  be 
tiefended,  they  would  be  defended  with  equal  vigour  and  ani- 


THIRD  CONTEST  FOR  THE  CANNON. 


377 


mation.  Their  doubts  were  very  soon  removed  by  the  approach, 
in  a  more  extended  line,  of  the  whole  body  of  the  British  troops, 
who,  independently  of  their  reinforcements,  had  the  advantage  of 
being  amply  refreshed  from  the  plentiful  resources  of  Queens- 
town  and  St.  David's. 

The  advance  of  the  enemy  was  no  sooner  made  known  to 
General  Ripley's  line,  than  the  ardour  of  all  his  men  instantly 
revived,  and  remembering  the  order  of  their  gallant  commander, 
to  refuse  their  fire,  thev  prepared  to  receive  that  of  the  approach- 
ing line. 

The  British  delivered  their  fire  nearly  within  the  same  dis- 
tance as  before,  but  they  did  not  fall  back  from  the  fire  of  the 
Americans  with  the  same  precipitation.  Their  fresh  line  steadily 
advanced,  and  repeated  its  discharge ;  the  Americans  remained 
firm,  and  returned  it ;  and  an  obstinate  and  tremendous  conflict 
followed.  The  21st  again  manifested  its  determined  character, 
and,  under  the  direction  of  Colonel  Miller,  dealt  out  a  destructive 
fire  upon  its  assailants.  The  right  and  left  repeatedly  fell  back, 
but  were  as  often  rallied,  and  brought  into  the  line,  to  preserve 
which,  the  exertions  of  the  general  and  Colonels  Miller,  Nicholas, 
and  Jessup,  and  all  the  other  officers  were  constantly  required. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  fresh  troops  of  the  British,  were  as 
unshaken  as  their  antagonists,  the  21  s^ ;  but  the  regiments  and 
sections  which  had  been  before  repulsed,  recoiled  again,  and 
were  repeatedly  urged  forward  by  their  officers.  At  length  the 
two  hnes  were  on  the  very  summit  of  the  hill,  each  at  the  point 
of  the  bayonets  of  the  other,  and  both  appealing  to  that  weapon 
with  unusual  force  and  rapidity.  Such  was  the  obstinacy  of 
the  contending  parties,  that  many  battalions  on  both  sides  were 
forced  back  by  the  vigour  of  the  combat,  and  the  British  and 
American  lines  became  mingled  with  each  other.  At  that  part 
of  the  height  on  which  the  cannon  were  stationed,  the  battle 
was  most  desperate.  The  enemy  having  forced  himself  into  the 
very  midst  of  Major  Hindman's  artillery,  two  pieces  of  which 
I'^e  officers  of  that  corps  were  compelled  to  spike,  he  was  warml}* 
ongaged  across  the  carriages  and  guns;  and  the  slaughter  which 
took  place  upon  the  eminence,  sufficiently  evinced  his  determi 
nation  to  recapture,  and  the  resolution  of  the  American  artil- 


8iS 


48 


378 


FINAL   DEFEAT   OF   THE   BRITISH. 


lerists  to  retain  the  trophies  which  the  gallantry  of  the  infantry 
had  won. 

The  close  and  personal  col  tests  now  prevailing  from  one  end 
of  the  line  to  the  other,  produced  a  degree  of  confusion,  which 
the  coolness  and  energy  of  the  general  could  scarcely  suppress. 
The  broken  sections  were  at  length,  however,  restored  to  the 
line,  and  having  regained  their  several  positions,  compelled  the 
enemy's  right  and  left  wings  to  fall  back.  The  centre  of  his 
line,  imitating  the  example  of  the  flanks,  also  gave  way,  and  the 
assault  upon  the  artillery,  after  a  dreadful  conflict,  being  at  this 
moment  repulsed,  the  whole  British  line  fled  precipitately  a  third 
time.  The  personal  and  most  active  exertions  of  their  principal 
ofiicers  could  not  retard  the  flight  of  the  troops,  and  they  retreated 
beyond  the  reach  either  of  musketry  or  cannon.  General  Drum- 
mond,  seeing  that  the  repulse  of  this  last  and  most  determined 
effort  had  wearied  and  depressed  his  line,  and  feeling  assured 
that  it  would  be  difficult  to  lead  them  on  to  another  attempt, 
which,  too,  in  all  probability,  would  be  followed  by  a  more  dis- 
astrous discomfiture,  consented  to  relinquish  his  cannon,  and 
retired  beyond  the  borders  of  the  field,  over  which  were  strewed 
the  dead  and  wounded  of  both  armies. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  last  charge,  Major-General  Brown, 
while  attending  to  the  formation  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Leaven- 
worth's battalion,  was  severely  wounded  by  a  musket  ball,  in 
the  right  thigh.  A  little  while  after,  he  received  a  second  wound 
on  the  left  side,  and  being  compelled  to  quit  the  field,  retired 
also  to  the  Chippewa,  and  devolved  the  command  on  General 
Ripley.  Though  the  British  had  been  forced  to  withdraw  from 
the  action,  that  officer,  not  knowing  whether  they  had  yet 
yielded  the  victory,  or  whether  they  contemplated  the  adoption 
of  measures,  by  which  still  to  retrieve  the  honour  of  their  arms, 
reformed  his  line,  and  held  it  in  readinesf»  *eceive  an  attack, 
in  whatever  manner  it  should  be  made. 

Convinced  of  the  necessity  of  the  removal  of  the  captured  can- 
non, and  of  the  immense  loss  which  would  thence  be  prevented. 
General  Ripley  had  frequently  despatched  his  aid  to  General 
Brown,  for  the  means  of  transporting  them  from  the  field.  No 
means  were,  however,  at  hand,  most  of  the  horses  being  already 


MENDACITY    OF   THE   BRITISH. 


379 


Ijilled,  and  the  remainder  necessary  to  draw  off  the  American 
pieces.  General  Ripley,  therefore,  at  the  close  of  the  engage- 
ment, ordered  General  Porter  to  detach  a  party  of  his  volunteers 
to  assist  in  their  removal.  But  the  British  guns  being  unUm- 
bered,  and  in  a  dismantled  condition,  it  was  found  to  be  imprac- 
ticable to  draw  them  away,  but  by  means  of  dragropes ;  none 
of  which  were  at  that  time  on  the  ground.  Reluctant  as  were 
all  the  troops  of  the  line  to  abandon  the  trophies  which  had  been 
oxdned  by  the  resistless  valour  of  the  second  brigade,  to  difficulties 
now  found  to  be  insurmountable,  they  were  obliged  to  yield. 

It  was  at  this  moment,  while  in  conversation  with  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Leavenworth,  whose  battalion  was  then  condensed  with 
the  25th  regiment,  and  commanded  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Jessup, 
and  who  had  been  sent  by  that  officer,  for  directions  as  to  the 
dispositions  of  the  first  brigade,  that  General  Ripley  received  an 
order  from  General  Brown  to  collect  the  dead  and  wounded,  and 
to  return  with  the  army  to  its  encampment  on  the  Chippewa. 
In  obedience  to  the  wishes  of  the  commander-in-chief,  this  order 
was  put  into  immediate  execution.  Major  Hindman,  with  the 
artillery,  was  already  on  his  march,  and  the  remnants  of  the 
regular  and  volunteer  brigades,  having  first  rolled  the  smaller 
pieces  of  the  enemy's  cannon  down  the  precipice,  returned  to  the 
camp  in  good  order,  and  without  molestation,  about  one  o'clock 
on  the  morning  of  the  26th. 

In  this  instance,  as  at  the  defense  of  Sackett's  Harbour,  where 
it  has  been  seen,  the  British  troops  were  opposed  and  repulsed 
by  the  same  commander,  the  enemy  claimed  another  decisive 
and  more  brilliant  victory.  The  governor-general.  Sir  George 
Prevost,  and  the  commanding-general,  Drummond,  complimented 
the  regulars  and  militia  engaged  in  it,  "/or  their  exemplary 
tteadiness,  gaUantry,  and  discipline^  in  repulsing  all  the  efforts  of  a 
numerous  and  determined  enemy,  to  carry  the  position  of  Lundy^s 
hne"  and  announced,  "that  their  exertions  had  been  crowned 
mih  success,  by  the  complete  defeat  of  the  enemy." 

If,  upon  ground  of  their  own  selection,  and  with  a  body  of 
sixteen  hundred  and  thirty-seven  men,  to  assail  an  advance  party 
of  an  enemy  of  only  seven  hundred  and  fifty,  and  after  an  hour's 

obstinate  conflict,  to  repose  on  their  arms,  imtil  they  could  be 

98 


S8C 


REMARKS    ON    THE    BATTLE. 


relieved  by  reinforcements ; — if,  after  a  mutual  reinforcement 
their  enemy's  numbers  should  amount  to  two  brigades  of  four 
teen  hundred  and  fifty  infantry,  a  detachment  of  three  hundred 
and  sixty-seven  artillery,  and  a  corps  of  six  hundred  volunteers 
making  in  all  two  thousand  four  hundred  and  seventeen  man 
and  their  own  force  should  consist,  according  with  a  report 
of  one  of  their  officers,  of  three  thousand  four  hundred  and 
fifty  regulars,  twelve  hundred  incorporated  militia,  and  foui 
hundred  and  eighty  Indians,  making  in  all,  five  thousand  one 
hundred  and  thirty  men,  and,  with  this  disparity  of  strength, 
they  should  be  driven  from  the  eminence  on  which  they  had 
advantageously  posted  themselves,  with  the  loss,  too,  of  all  their 
cannon ; — ^if,  after  three  desperate  assaults,  any  one  of  them  up- 
wards of  twenty  minutes  in  duration,  for  the  recovery  of  their 
battery,  and  with  the  ability  to  interpose  Iresh  lines,  to  be  suc- 
cessfully repulsed,  with  imniense  losses,  and  after  a  contest  of 
six  hours  (from  half  past  five  in  the  evening,  until  twelve  at 
night)  between  some  of  the  best  disciplined  troops  of  Europe, 
and  the  newly  raised  recruits,  the  former  eventually  to  withdraw 
from  the  field,  and  leave  their  enemy  in  possession,  not  only  of 
their  cannon,  but  of  one  of  their  generals,  the  second  in  command, 
the  first  having  narrowly  escaped  capture.  If  this  be  to  eflfect 
the  complete  defeat  and  overthrow  of  their  adversary,  the  British 
troops  certainly  achieved  a  brilliant  and  decisive  victory ;  the 
governor-general  of  the  Canadas  was  in  the  performance  of  his 
duty  when  he  complimented  them  for  their  steadiness;  and  the 
prince  regent  of  England  betrayed  no  precipitation,  when  he  an- 
nounced it  to  the  world,  and  permitted  "  Niagara"  to  be  worn 
upon  the  caps  of  one  of  the  regiments. 

The  captured  artillery,  it  is  true,  was  reobtained  by  its 
original  owners,  but  its  return  to  their  possession  was  neither 
the  result  of  any  desperate  effort  to  regain  it,  nor  the  evidence 
of  a  victory.  They  had  entered  into  the  engagement  under 
circumstances  highly  advantageous.  Their  force  could  be 
"ontinually  augmented  either  by  requisitions  for  militia,  or  by 
the  concentration  of  their  regulars  from  the  neighbouring  posts, 
and  was  already  double  the  strength  of  the  Americans.  They 
vvere  surrounded  by  deposits  of  ammunition,  and  being  in  the 


Silt '.J 


RESULTS    OF    THE    BATTLE. 


381 


vicinity  of  the  garrisons,  could  at  any  time  administer  to  the 
\vants  of  their  army.    Not  so  the   Americans.    They  wore 
at  a  distance  from  any  resources,  whence  they  might  derive 
either  supplies  or  reinforcements.     Their  numbers  had  been 
lessened  by  repeated  skirmishes  with  the  enemy,  and  by  the 
casualties  commonly  incident  to  armies.    With  the  odds  against 
them,  they  had  been  drawn  into  this   tremendous   struggle, 
the  long  duration  of  which  so  much  exhausted  their  troops,  and 
reduced  their  numbers,  that  after  becoming  the  entire  master^i 
of  the  field,  and  keeping  possession  of  it  nearly  an  hour,  they 
retired,  with  a  force  not  amounting  to  the  complement  of  t\i  o 
regiments.    In  this  reduced  state,  and  without  the  means  of 
removing  the  captured  property,  they  left  the  enemy's  cannon 
at  the  foot  of  the  eminence,  on  which  they  had  proudly  and 
gallantly  wrested  it  from  him.  Had  theii  means  been  less  limited, 
they  might  have  embellished  the  conquest  not  only  with  these, 
but  other  splendid  trophies,  put  all  disputation  for  ever  at  rest, 
and  left  no  alternativ  5  to  the  enemy,  but  an  acknowledgment 
of  his  defeat  and  disgrace.   In  a  battle,  desperate  and  tremendous 
as  this  is  represented  to  have  been,  the  losses  on  each  side  must 
necessarily  have  been  immense.    In  killed,  wounded,  prisoners, 
and  niissing,  the  total  of  both  armies  amounted  to  one  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  twenty-nine,  the  proportion  being  nearly 
equal,  and  the  killed  and  wounded  alone  one  thousand  three 
hundred  and  eighty-four.    On  the  side  of  the  enemy,  one  assist- 
ant adjutant-general,  one  captain,  three  subalterns,  and  seventy- 
nine  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates  were  killed ;  Lieu- 
tenant-General   Drummond,   Major-General   Riall,   and   three 
Heutenant-colonels,  two  majors,  eight  captains,  twenty-two  sub- 
alterns, and  five  hundred  and  twenty-two  non-commissioned 
officers  and  privates  were  wounded;   and  the  prisoners  and 
missing  amounted  to  one  aid-de-camp,  (Captain  Loring,)  five 
captains,  nine  other  subalterns,  and  two  hundred  and  twenty 
non-commissioned  officers  and  privates,  making  in  all  eight 
hundred  and  seventy-eight  men. 

Many  officers  of  distinction  fell  also  on  the  other  side,  and  the 
total  loss  was  little  less  than  that  of  the  British.  It  consisted  of 
one  major,  five  captains,  five  subalterns,  and  one  h\  ndred  and 


382 


REMARKS  ON  THE   BATTLE. 


fifly-nine  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates,  killed;  Majo^ 
General  Brown,  Brigadier-Generals  Scott  and  Porter,  two  aids 
de-camp,  one  brigade  major,  one  colonel,  four  lieutenant-colonels 
one  major,  seven  captains,  thirty-seven  subalterns,  and  fivt- 
hundred  and  fifteen  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates, 
wounded;  and  one  brigade  major,  one  captain,  six  subalterns, 
and  one  hundred  and  two  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates, 
missing ;  making  a  grand  total  of  eight  hundred  and  fifty-one, 
and  a  diiference  of  twenty-seven  only,  between  the  contending 
parties. 

Of  the  individual  gallantry  of  the  officers,  from  the  highest  in 
rank  down  to  the  youngest  subaltern,  the  most  positive  evidence 
is  furnished,  by  the  long  list  of  killed  and  wounded.  Every 
man  upon  the  field  being  engaged  in  the  battle,  the  bravery 
of  no  one  officer  was  distinguishable  ft'om  another,  except  in 
those  instances  when,  by  the  change  of  the  enemy's  movements, 
detachments  were  thrown  into  situations,  from  which  they  could 
be  extricated  only  by  the  most  daring  intrepidity. 

When  the  American  forces  returned  to  their  encampment  at 
the  Chippewa,  Major-General  Brown  directed  General  Ripley 
to  refresh  the  troops,  and  proceed  with  them,  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, to  the  battle  ground — ^with  a  view,  no  doubt,  to  reconnoiter 
the  enemy,  and  if  he  loitered  near  the  field,  in  a  position  from 
which  he  might  be  advantageously  driven,  to  engage  him ;  but 
certainly  not  to  assail  a  superior  force,  under  circumstances,  to 
the  last  degree  unfavourable,  and  which  would  inevitably  result 
in  the  total  destruction  of  the  American  army.  The  troops,  now 
amounting  to  about  fifteen  hundred  and  sixty,  being  put  in 
motion,  in  obedience  to  this  order  General  Ripley  despatched 
reconnoitering  parties  in  advance  of  his  main  body.  From  these 
he  learned  that  the  enemy  was  posted  on  the  field  in  advance 
of  his  former  position  on  the  eminence,  reinforced  as  had  been 
reported  by  the  prisoners,  his  line  drawn  up  between  the  river 
and  a  thick  wood,  his  fianks  resting  on  each,  and  his  cannon 
stationed  so  as  to  enfilade  the  road.  Under  such  circumstances, 
it  would  have  been  highly  injudicious  to  have  attacked  him, 
and  where  no  advantages  are  to  be  gained,  the  useless  effusion  of 
human  blood  is  a  stain  upon  the  ability  and  valour  as  well  as 


RIPLEY  RETIRES  TO  FORT  ERIE. 


383 


upon  the  judgment  and  humanity  of  the  soldier.  General  Ripley, 
seeing  th6  impossibility  of  regaining  the  field  of  battle,  and  the 
probability  of  his  own  flanks  being  compelled  to  fall  back,  by  the 
immense  superiority  of  the  enemy's  numbers,  turned  his  army 
towards  the  Chippewa;  whence,  having  first  destroyed  the 
bridges  over  that  stream,  as  well  as  the  platforms,  which  he  had 
previously  constructed  at  the  enemy's  old  works  there,  he  pur- 
sued his  retreat  towards  the  Fort  Erie,  and  reached  it  in  good 
order  on  the  following  day.  There  he  determined  upon  making 
a  decided  stand  against  the  British  troops,  whose  regular  and 
gradual  approaches  he  anticipated. 


384        OPERATIONS  ON  THE   NIAGARA   FRONTIER. 


U^'v 


!*•: 


CHAPTER  XIX. 
iFttvtIirc  tptiationf  on  tl>e  liTtagara  ipconticr. 

HIS  retrograde  movement  of  the  Ame- 
rican army  was  no  sooner  effected, 
and  the  situations  of  the  differeut 
regiments  allotted  in  the  encamp- 
ments,  than  the  commanding  general 
(Ripley)  immediately  directed  the 
lines  of  defense  to  be  extended,  the 
fort  enlarged,  and  new  batteries  erected.  With  the  aid  of  the 
engineers,  Lieutenant-Colonels  Wood  and  McRee,  defenses  of 
abatis,  traverses,  intrenchments,  and  redoubts  were  instantly 
commenced,  and  from  the  27th  of  July  until  the  2d  or  3d  of 
August,  the  troops  were  employed  night  and  day,  in  placing 
the  V  orks  in  a  state  to  sustain  the  expected  and  almost  certain 
attack.  Had  Lieutenant-General  Drummond  followed  up  the 
victorv  which  he  claimed,  he  would  have  found  the  shattered 
American  brigades  scarcely  in  any  kind  of  condition  to  resist 
him.  But  the  cautious  enemy  did  not  choose  to  pursue  a 
retreating  army,  whose  troops  had  given  him  such  signal  proofs 


Mi* 


BRITISH   APPROACH   FORT  ERIE. 


385 


of  their  intrepidity,  until  his  own  numbers  were  again  enlarged. 
On  the  29th  of  July,  being  reinforced  by  the  right  and  lef\ 
wings  of  De  Watteville's  troops,  eleven  hundred  strong,  he 
pushed  forward  -to  the  investment  of  the  fort.  This  rein- 
forcement extended  his  numbers  to  five  thousand  three  hundred 
and  fifty-two  men,  and  with  this  formidable  superiority  of 
strength,  he  appeared  on  the  3d  day  of  August,  before  a  fort, 
which  but  a  few  days  before  was  declared  by  the  enemy  to  be  a 
wretched  stockade,  altogether  incapable  of  defense. 

Having  driven  in  the  American  pickets,  and  formed  his  en- 
campment two  miles  distant  from  the  garrison,  he  gradually  ap- 
proached within  four  or  six  hundred  yards  of  the  fort,  properly 
so  called,  commenced  a  double  line  of  intrenchments,  erected 
batteries  in  front  of  them  at  points  from  which  he  could  throw 
in  an  effectual  lire,  and  planted  his  cannon  so  as  to  enfilade  the 
works.  Seeing  by  these  indications  that  the  British  commander 
was  preparing  for  a  regular  siege,  General  Ripley  availed  him- 
self of  the  time  thus  lost  by  the  enemy  in  opening  his  trenches, 
and  carried  on  his  defensive  arrangements  with  unceasing 
alacrity. 

The  approach  of  the  British  army,  on  the  2d  of  August,  being 
discovered  by  Major  Morgan  of  the  1st  riflemen,  to  whom,  with 
a  detachment  of  two  hundred  and  forty  men,  the  defense  of  the 
village  of  Buffalo,  which  had  regained  its  former  flourishing 
condition,  was  intrusted,  he  suspected  the  enemy  of  making  a 
feint  upon  Fort  Erie,  with  a  view  to  an  actual  attack  upon  Buf- 
falo. To  defeat  any  such  object,  he  immediately  took  a  position 
on  the  upper  side  of  Conejockeda  creek,  cut  away  the  bridge 
crossing  it,  and  threw  up  a  breastwork  of  logs  in  the  course  of 
the  night.  Though  the  British  general  had  no  intention  of 
making  a  feint.  Major  Morgan's  precautions,  in  anticipation  of 
an  attack,  were  not  uselessly  adopted ;  for,  early  in  the  morning 
of  the  3d,  a  detachment  of  the  enemy's  41st  regiment,  under 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Tucker,  crossed  the  Niagara,  in  nine  boats, 
and  landed  about  half  a  mile  below  the  creek.  At  the  approach 
of  day,  the  British  colonel  commenced  an  attack  upon  the  de- 
tachment, and  sent  forward  a  party  to  repair  the  bridge  unaer 
cover  of  his  fire.     Major  Morgan  did  not  attempt  to  regard  the 

BK  4» 


3SB 


DEFENSE   OF   FORT   ERIE. 


enemy's  advances  until  he  was  within  rifle  distance,  when  he 
opened  a  fire  which  proved  so  destructive,  that  Lieutenant. 
Colonel  Tucker  fell  back  to  the  skirt  of  a  neighbouring  wood, 
and  kept  up  the  contest  at  long  shot.  In  the  mean  time  Generaj 
Drummond  threw  over  reinforcements,  and  the  British  detach 
ment  now  amounted  to  nearly  twelve  hundred  men.  With  tbih 
force  Colonel  Tucker  attempted  to  flank  his  antagonist,  by  de. 
spatching  his  left  wing  to  ford  the  creek  above,  and  press  down 
upon  the  opposite  side ;  this  movement  being  observed,  Major 
Morgan  sent  forward  Lieutenants  Ryan,  Smith,  and  Armstrong, 
to  oppose  the  fording  party.  Between  these  detachments  an 
engagement  took  place  a  short  distance  above  the  breastwork, 
and  after  several  heavy  discharges,  the  enemy  fell  back  to  his 
main  Ixxiy,  with  considerable  loss.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Tucker, 
finding  that  the  object  of  his  expedition  against  Buffalo,  the  re- 
capture of  General  Riall,  and  the  destruction  of  the  public  stores 
there,  could  not  be  achieved  without  an  immense  loss,  and 
knowing  the  desire  of  Lieutenant^General  Drummond,  to  aug- 
ment, rather  than  decrease  the  force  destined  for  the  siege  of  the 
fort,  on  the  opposite  shore,  he  determined  on  abandoning  the 
enterprise,  and  drawing  of  his  troops  to  Squaw  island,  returned 
thence  to  the  Canadian  shore.  With  so  small  a  force  Major 
Morgan  could  not  attempt  to  annoy  him  in  his  retreat.  He  is 
supposed  to  have  lost  a  considerable  number  of  men,  many  dead 
bodies  being  found  in  the  creek,  and  upon  the  field,  and  six  pri- 
soners being  taken  by  the  detachment.  In  this  gallant  little 
affair.  Captain  Hamilton,  and  Lieutenants  Wadsworth  and 
Mcintosh  of  the  riflemen,  and  five  privates  were  wounded,  and 
two  privates  killed.  >»;r      ; 

By  the  7th  of  August,  most  of  the  batteries  and  traverses  about 
Fort  Erie  were  completed.  Upon  a  battery  upwards  of  twenty 
feet  high,  and  situated  at  Snake  Hill,  the  southern  extremity  of 
the  works,  five  guns  were  mounted,  and  the  command  given  to 
Major  Towson,  of  the  artillery.  Two  other  batteries  between 
Towson's  and  the  main  works,  one  mounting  three  guns,  under 
Captain  Biddle,  and  the  other  two  guns,  under  Lieutenant  Fon- 
taine, were  also  completed.  The  northern  point  of  the  fort  had 
been  extended  to  the  water,  and  the  Douglass  battery,  of  two 


ft.'--* 


DEFEASE   OF  FORT  ERIE. 


387 


ouAS,  erected  on  the  bank.  The  dragoons,  infantry,  riflemen, 
and  volunteers,  were  encamped  between  the  western  ramparts 
and  the  water,  and  the  artillery,  under  Major  Hindman,  stationed 
^thiii  the  main  works. 

Whilst  these  preparations  were  making,  several  partial  can- 
nonades took  place,  without  any  known  effect  on  either  side. 
Before  any  regular  firing  was  commenced,  Brigadier-General 
Gaines  arrived  at  the  fort,  and  assumed  the  command  of  the 
army.  General  Ripley  then  returned  to  the  command  of  hir 
brigade.  The  British  army  was  now  strongly  posted  behind 
their  works,  and  General  Gaines  determined  to  ascertain  their 
strength,  and  endeavour,  if  possible,  to  draw  them  out.  On  the 
6th,  he  sent  the  rifle  corps,  with  Major  Morgan,  who  had  been 
previously  transferred  from  the  American  shore,  to  pass  through 
the  woods,  intervening  between  the  British  lines  and  the  fort, 
and  with  orders  to  amuse  the  enemy's  light  troops,  until  his 
columns  should  indicate  an  intention  to  move ;  in  that  event. 
Major  Morgan  was  to  retire  gradually,  until  his  corps  should 
have  fallen  back  upon  a  strong  line  posted  in  the  plain  before 
the  fort,  to  receive  the  pursuing  British  troops. 

HE  object  of  this  movement  failed — Major 
Morgan  having  encountered  and  forced 
the  enemy's  light  troops  into  the  lines, 
with  the  loss  of  eleven  killed,  and  three 
wounded,  and  made  prisoners ;  and  not- 
withstanding he  maintained  his  position 
upwards  of  two  hours,  he  could  not  suc- 
ceed in  drawing  forth  the  main  body  of 
the  British  troops.  He  therefore  returned 
to  the  fort,  after  losing  five  men  killed,  and  four  wounded. 

By  the  10th,  the  enemy's  line  was  protected  by  several  block- 
houses, and  a  long  wooden  breastwork.  To  examine  these  works, 
Captain  Birdsall,  of  the  4th  rifle  regiment,  was  sent  out  with 
a  detachment  of  the  1st,  and  his  own  company,  amounting  in  all 
to  one  hundred  and  sixty  men.  After  some  skirmishing,  he 
succeeded  in  beating  in  two  of  their  picket  guards,  with  a  loss 
on  their  side  of  ten  men  killed,  and  one  killed  an  J  three 
wounded  of  the  riflemen. 


§ 


Tf,' 


388 


DEFENSE    OF   FORT  ERIE. 


On  the  12th,  a  working  party  of  the  enemy,  supported  by  a 
guard  of  his  light  troops,  was  discovered  to  be  opening  an 
ivenue  for  the  construction  of  an  additional  battery,  from  which 
to  annoy  the  rear  of  the  fort.  Agreeably  to  the  orders  of  General 
Gaines,  Major  Morgan  detached  about  one  hundred  men,  undei 
Captain  Birdsall,  to  cut  them  off;  that  officer  immediately 
issailed  the  guard,  and  after  a  smart  contest,  drove  in  both  it 
and  the  working  party.  In  the  event  of  the  enemy's  guard 
being  reinforced  from  their  lines,  Major  Morgan  had  been  also 
ordered  to  hold  his  corps  in  readiness  to  support  Captain 
Birdsall ;  and  as  a  large  body  of  the  enemy  was  observed  to  be 
approaching  upon  the  detachment,  the  major  promptly  moved 
forward  and  engaged  it.  A  warm  and  spirited  conflict  fol- 
lowed,  in  which  several  men  were  killed  on  both  sides.  At 
length,  however,  an  additional  party  of  the  enemy  coming  up 
to  the  aid  of  that  engaged,  Major  Morgan  ordered  his  corps  to 
retire,  and  had  scarcely  given  a  signal  to  that  effect,  when  he 
received  a  musket  ball  in  the  head,  which  for  ever  deprived  the 
garrison  and  the  country  of  his  valuable  services.  The  corps 
was  conducted  to  the  fort  by  Captain  Birdsall,  and  the  body  of 
its  brave  and  lamented  commander  interred  at  Buffalo,  with  the 
proper  honours  and  solemnities. 

During  these  repeated  skirmishes,  and  in  the  intervals,  be- 
tween the  sorties  of  detachments,  the  besiegers  and  the  besieged 
were  diligently  engaged  in  strengthening  their  respective  works; 
and  from  the  7th  until  the  14th  of  the  month,  an  almost  unceas- 
ing fire  was  kept  up  between  them,  with  various  effect.  On 
the  night  of  the  14th,  the  emotion  and  tumult  in  the  British 
encampment  gave  certain  indications  of  an  intended  attack  upon 
the  fort.  General  Ripley,  always  on  the  alert,  was  among  the 
first  to  discover  these  indications,  and  having. first  ordered  his 
brigade,  stationed  to  the  left,  to  be  formed  within  the  line  of 
defense,  he  despatched  his  aid,  Lieutenant  Kirby,  to  inform 
General  Gaines  of  his  conviction  of  the  enemy's  contemplation. 
General  Gaines  was  himself  already  persuaded  that  an  attempt 
would  very  soon  be  made  to  storm  the  garrison;  and  Lieutenant 
Kirby  had  no  sooner  delivered  his  message  at  head-quarters, 
than  the  firing  of  a  picket,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Belknaj), 


DEFENSE    OF    FORT    ERIE. 


389 


of  the  infantry,  assured  him  that  the  moment  had  arrived.  Dis* 
positions  were  immediately  made  to  receive  the  assault,  and 
the  troops  of  the  garrison  anticipated  its  result  with  pride  and 
enthusiasm. 

Lieutenant-General  Drummond  having  appointed  the  morn- 
ing of  the  15th  for  a  vigorous  and  sudden  assault  upon  the 
fort,  had  previously  arranged  the  order  of  attack  in  three  col- 
umns, to  be  made  at  three  distinct  points,  with  a  view  to  harass 
and  distract  the  garrison.  His  right  column,  under  Lieute- 
nant-Colonel Fischer,  of  the  8th,  and  composed  of  parts  of  the 
89th  and  100th  regiments,  De  Watte ville's,  detachments  from 
the  royal  artiQery  with  rockateers,  and  a  picket  of  cavalry, 
was  to  make  a  detour  of  three  miles  through  the  woods,  and  to 
assault  the  southern  extremity  of  the  works.  His  centre  column, 
under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Drummond,  of  the  104th,  and  com- 
posed of  detachments  from  that  and  the  41st  regiment  of 
infantry,  of  the  royal  artillery-;  seamen  and  marines,  was  to 
be  conducted  by  Captain  Barney,  of  the  89th,  to  the  attack  of 
the  fort.  The  left  column  under  Colonel  Scott,  of  the  103d, 
and  composed  of  that  regiment,  was  to  be  led  by  Captain  Elliot, 
to  penetrate  the  openings  in  the  works  between  the  fort  and  the 
lake,  and  to  scale  the  battery  upon  the  bank.  In  advance  of 
Lieutenant  Fischer's  column,  the  British  pickets  on  Buck's 
road,  together  with  the  Indians  of  the  encampment,  were  to  be 
pushed  on  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Nichols,  to  drive  in  the 
American  outposts.  The  royals,  another  part  of  De  Watteville's 
regiment,  the  Glengarians,  and  the  incorporated  militia,  under 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Tucker,  were  to  be  held  in  reserve;  and 
the  19th  light  dragoons,  stationed  in  the  ravine  in  the  rear  of 
the  fort,  to  receive  and  convey  the  prisoners  to  the  encampment, 
a  duty  which  it  did  not  fall  to  their  lot  to  perform. 

General  Gaines,  not  knowing  at  wliat  points  the  assault  would 
be  made,  prepared  to  receive  it  at  all  those  which  he  suspected 
the  enemy  might  judge  to  be  assailable.  The  command  o< 
the  fort  and  bastions  was  given  to  Captain  Alexander  Williams, 
of  the  artillery,  which,  with  the  battery  on  the  margin  of  the 
lake,  under  Lieutenant  Douglass,  of  the  engineers,  and  thence 
called  the  Douglass  battery,  formed  the  north-east  and  south-east 

2k3 


390 


EXPLOSION    OF  THE   MAGAZINE. 


':i  ki 


angle  of  the  works.  In  a  block-house,  near  the  salient  bastion 
a  detachment  of  the  19th  infantry  was  stationed  under  Majoi 
Trimble.  The  batteries  in  front,  under  Captains  Biddle  and 
Panning,  were  supported  by  General  Porter's  volunteers,  and 
the  corps  of  riflemen.  The  whole  body  of  artillery,  distributed 
throughout  the  garrison  was  commanded  by  Major  Hindman. 
The  first  brigade  of  infantry,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Aspin- 
wall,  was  posted  on  the  right ;  and  General  Ripley's  brigade 
supported  Towson's  battery,  and  the  line  upon  the  left.  On  the 
evening  of  the  14th,  a  few  hours  before  the  commencement  of 
the  assault,  and  whilst  these  dispositions  were  making  to  repel 
it,  one  of  the  enemy's  shells  fell  into  a  small  magazine  within  the 
American  works,  and  produced  an  awful  explosion.  From  one  end 
of  the  British  line  to  the  other,  a  loud  shout  was  in  consequence 
uttered,  but  as  no  bad  effect  followed  the  explosion,  the  shout  was 
repeated  in  the  fort,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  enemy's  exultation, 
Captain  Williams  immediately  discharged  all  his  heavy  pieces 
At  half  an  hour  after  two,  on  the  morning  of  the  15th,  though 
♦he  darkness  was  excessive,  the  approach  of  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Fischer,  with  the  right  column,  tliirteen  hundred  strong,  was 
distinctly  heard  on  the  left  of  the  garrison.    The  2d  brigade, 


f,'    * 


ASSAULT    ON    FORT    ERIE. 


391 


the  command  of  the  21st  regiment  having  been  given  to  Lieute* 
nanVColonel  Wood,  of  the  engineers,  and  the  artillery  of  Tow- 
son's  battery  were  prepared  to  receive  him.  Marching  promptly 
forward,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Fischer  assailed  the  battery  with 
scaling  ladders,  and  the  line  toward  the  lake  with  the  bayonet. 
He  was  permitted  to  come  close  up  to  the  works,  when  the  21st 
and  23d  regiments,  and  the  artillery  upon  the  battery  opened  a 
sudden  and  tremendous  fire,  which  threw  his  whole  column  into 
confusion,  rendered  him  utterly  unable  to  sustain  the  contest, 
and  prevented  his  making  an  impression  upon  the  works.  Having 
retired  some  distance  to  reorganize  his  column,  he  immediately 
made  new  arrangements  for,  and  varied  the  shape  of,  his  next 
attack,  so  as  to  avoid  those  points,  from  which  the  greatest 
measure  of  destruction  had  been  dealt  out  to  him.    According 
to  the  general  plan,  however,  which  it  was  incumbent  on  him 
to  pursue,  it  was  necessary  that  the  battery  should  be  carried ; 
but,  with  the  means  to  effect  this  object  he  was  badly  provided. 
With  scaling  ladders  of  no  more  than  sixteen  feet  in  length,  he 
could  not  possibly  throw  his  troops  upon  a  battery  of  about 
twenty-five  feet  high,  and  his  second  attempt,  equally  furious  as 
the  first,  met  with  no  greater  success.    He  was  again  repulsed, 
and  with  considerable  loss.    Convinced  of  his  inability  to  get 
possession  of  the  battery,  and  feeling  the  deadly  effects  of  the 
incessant  showers  of  grape  which  were  thrown  upon  him,  he 
determined  in  his  next  effort  to  pass  the  point  of  the  abatis,  by 
wading  breast  deep  into  the  lake,  to  which  the  works  were  open. 
In  this  attempt  also  he  was  unsuccessful,  nearly  two  hundred 
of  his  men  being  either  killed  or  drowned,  and  the  remainder 
precipitately  falling  back.     Without  waiting  to  know  the  result 
of  the  attack,  upon  the  right  of  the  works,  which  had  been  al- 
ready made  by  the  second  and  third  column,  he  ordered  a  retreat 
to  the  British  encampment,  which  he  did  not  effect,  without  the 
loss  of  many  of  his  rear  guard,  taken  prisoners,  in  a  sally  made 
from  the  works  by  the  order  of  General  Ripley. 

The  attack  from  the  centre  and  left  column,  the  first  of  seven 
hundred,  and  the  second  of  eight  hundred  men,  was  reserved 
until  the  contest  became  very  animated  between  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Fischer's  column  and  the  troops  upon  the  left.  From  the 


'I 
M 


392 


ASSAULT    ON    FORT    ERIE. 


M 


H 


'^■^ 


line  of  defenses,  between  the  Douglass  battery  and  the  fort,  and 
from  those  in  front  of  the  garrison,  Lieutenant-General  Drum- 
mond  supposed  reinforcements  would  be  drawn  to  the  aid  of  the 
southern  extremity  of  the  works,  and  with  this  view  he  had  given 
greater  strength  to  his  right,  than  to  his  other  columns,  and  in- 
tended  to  avail  himself  of  the  consequent  weakened  state  of  the 
north  and  south-east  angles  of  the  American  post. 

The  pickets  being  driven  in,  the  approach  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Drummond  was  heard  from  the  ravine,  and  Colonel 
Scott's  column  at  the  same  time  advanced  along  the  margin  of 
the  water.  From  the  salient  bastion  of  the  fort.  Captain  Wil- 
liams immediately  opened  his  fire  upon  the  centre  column,  whilst 
the  approach  of  Colonel  Scott  was  attempted  to  be  checked  by  the 
Douglass  battery,  and  Captains  Boughton's  and  Harding's  New 
York  and  Pennsylvania  volunteers  on  its  right ;  the  9th  infantry 
under  Captain  Foster,  on  its  left ;  and  a  six-pounder,  planted  at 
that  point,  under  the  management  of  Colonel  McRee.  At  fifty 
yards  distance  from  the  line,  the  enemy's  left  column  made  a 
momentary  pause,  and  instantly  recoiled  from  the  fire  of  the 
cannon  and  musketry.  But  the  centre  column,  having  advanced 
upon  every  assailable  point  of  the  fort,  in  defiance  of  the  rapid 
and  heavy  discharges  of  the  artillery,  and  having  ascended  the 
parapet  by  means  of  a  large  number  of  scaling  ladders,  its  officers 
called  out  to  the  line,  extending  to  the  lake,  to  desist  firing— 
an  artifice  which  succeeded  so  well,  that  the  Douglass  battery, 
and  the  infantry,  supposing  the  order  to  proceed  from  the  gar- 
rison, suspended  their  fire,  until  the  deception  was  discovered. 
The  left  column  in  the  mean  time,  recovered  from  its  confusion, 
and  was  led  up  to  a  second  charge,  from  which  it  was  again  re- 
pulsed before  it  had  an  opportunity  of  planting  the  scaling  lad- 
ders, and  with  the  loss  of  its  commander,  and  upwards  of  one- 
third  of  its  men. 

Whilst  the  second  attempt  was  in  operation,  the  centre  column 
was,  with  great  difficulty,  thrown  back  from  the  salient  bastion; 
and  the  troops  within  the  fort,  were  quickly  reinforced  from 
General  Ripley's  brigade,  and  General  Porter's  volunteers.  But 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Drummond,  actuated  by  a  determination 
'«nt  to  be  overcome  by  a  single  repulse)  to  force  an  entrance  into 


<-^ 


the  fort,  and 
neral  Drum- 
tie  aid  of  the 
le  had  given 
inns,  and  in- 
state of  the 

Lieutenant, 
and  Colonel 
e  margin  of 
)aptain  Wil- 
lumn,  whilst 
ecked  hy  the 
rding's  New 
9th  infantry 
T,  planted  at 
ee.  At  fifty 
umn  made  a 
e  fire  of  the 
ng  advanced 
of  the  rapid 
ascended  the 
rs,  its  officers 
isist  firing— 
jlass  battery, 
rom  the  gar- 
s  discovered, 
ts  confusion, 
vas  again  re- 
3  scaling  lad- 
i^ards  of  one- 

Bntre  column 
lent  bastion ; 
iforced  from 
unteers.  But 
[etermination 
entrance  into 


so 


Ik  t 
I  f. 


ii  1 1  •; 


'51 

t 


■  5     '-"i  i 


''  "I'm 


ASSAULT   ON    FORT    ERIE. 


395 


the  garrison,  and  momentarily  expecting  the  reserve  to  be  ordered 
up  by  the  lieutenanlrgeneral,  returned  to  the  assault  a  second 
and  a  third  time.  By  the  gallant  eiTorts,  however,  of  Major 
Hindman,  and  his  artillery,  and  the  infantry  detachment  of  Major 
Trimble,  he  was,  each  time,  more  signally  repulsed  than  before; 
and  Colonel  Scott's  column  having  withdrawn  from  the  action, 
upon  the  fall  of  its  leader.  Lieutenant  Douglass  was  busily  en- 
gaged in  giving  such  direction  to  the  guns  of  his  battery,  as  to 
cut  off  the  communication  between  Drummond's  column  and 
the  reserve  of  LieutenantrColond  Tucker. 

HE  new  bastions  which  had  been  com- 
menced for  the  enlargement  of  the 
old  Fort  Erie,  not  being  yet  com- 
pleted, the  only  opposition  which 
could  be  given  to  the  enemy's  ap- 
proaches upon  those  points,  was  by 
means  of  small  arms.  The  batteries 
of  Captain  Biddle  and  Captain  Fan- 
ning (formerly  Fontaine's)  in  the 
works  intervening  between  Towson's 
battery  and  the  fort,  were,  therefore, 
opened  upon  the  enemy  with  great 
vivacity,  and  his  advances  from  the 
plain,  frequently  checked  by  those 
gallant  and  meritorious  officers. 

After  this  third  repulse,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Drummond,  taking 
advantage  of  the  darkness  of  the  morning,  and  of  the  heavy 
columns  of  smoke,  which  concealed  all  objects  from  the  view  of 
the  garrison,  moved  his  troops  silently  round  the  ditch,  repeated 
his  charge,  and  reascend  m1  his  ladders  with  such  velocity,  as  to 
gain  footing  on  the  parapet,  before  any  effectual  opposition  could 
be  made.  Being  in  the  very  midst  of  his  men,  he  directed  them 
to  charge  vigorously  with  their  pikes  and  bayonets,  and  to  show 
no  quarter  to  any  jdelding  soldier  of  the  garrison.*    This  order 

*  General  Gainei,  in  hit  official  letter,  tpeaklny  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Drammond, 
obMTTet,  "The  order  of  *  Oivt  tha  FanJbMi  no  fuarttrt*  was  often  reiterated  by  thii 
of  cer,  whose  brarery,  if  it  had  been  Masoned  with  Tirtue,  would  hare  entitled  him  to 
th«  admiration  of  every  soldier.*' 
100 


396 


ASSAULT    ON    FORT    ERIE. 


.1 


W'  ■ 


was  executed  with  the  utmost  rapidity,  and  the  most  obstinate 
previous  parts  of  the  engagement  formed  no  kind  of  parallel  to 
the  violence  and  desperation  of  the  present  conflict. 

Captain  Williams,  and  Lieutenants  McDonough  and  Wat- 
mough,  of  the  artillery,  being  in  the  most  conspicuous  situations 
were  personally  engaged  with  the  assailants,  and  were  all  g; 
verely  wounded ;  the  first,  Captain  Williams,  mortally.*    Not 
all  the  efforts  of  Major  Hindman  and  his  command,  nor  Major 
Trimble's  infentry,  nor  a  detachment  of  rifiemen  under  Capta' 
Birdsall,  who  had  posted  himself  in  the  ravelin,  opposite  th. 
gateway  of  the  fort,  could  dislodge  the  determined  and  intrepid 
enemy  from  the  bastion ;  though  the  deadly  effects  of  their  fire 
prevented  his  approaches  beyond  it.     He  had  now  complete  pos- 
session  of  the  bastion.  About  this  time,  Lieutenant  McDonough's 
wounds  rendered  him  almost  incapable  of  further  resistance,  and 
he  demanded  quarter  from  the  enemy,  but  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Drummond  personally  refused  it,  and  repeated  his  instructions 
to  his  troops  to  deny  it  in  all  instances.     The  shocking  inhu- 
manity of  this  order  roused  the  exhausted  spirit  of  the  lieutenant, 
and,  seizing  a  handspike,  he  defended  himself  against  a  numerous 
party  of  the  assailants,  until  he  received  a  pistol  shot  discharged 
at  him  by  the  hand  of  their  commander.     Lieutenant-Colonel 
Drummond  survived  this  act  but  a  few  moments,  the  fall  of 
McDonough  being  avenged  by  a  person  standing  near  him,  who 
immediately  shot  the  colonel  through  the  breast. 

The  loss  of  their  leader  did  not  check  the  impetuosity  of  the 
enemy's  troops,  and  they  continued  in  the  use  of  their  pikes  and 
small  arms  until  the  day  broke,  and  repulsed  several  furious 
charges  made  upon  them  by  detachments  of  the  garrison.    The 


\i:  ■ 


*  This  amiable  joun^  officer  wns  the  son  of  Colonel  Jonathan  Williams,  who  had 
long  been  at  the  head  of  the  United  States  engineer  department,  to  whom  the  nation  it 
greatly  indebted  for  the  construction  of  many  of  the  principal  fortifications ;  and  who 
was  a  member  elect  of  the  fourteenth  congfress,  from  the  city  of  Philadf^lphia.  The 
captain  was  also  formerly  of  the  engineer  corps,  but  having  been  transferred  to  thear* 
tillery,  and  being  anxious  to  share  in  the  honours  and  the  perils  of  the  campaign  of 
1814,  he  solicited  to  be  sent  to  the  Niagara  frontier,  and  received  an  order  to  repair 
thither  from  Fort  Mifflin,  a  garrison  which,  for  several  months,  he  had  commanded  with 
reputation.  Early  in  the  spring  of  that  year,  though  in  a  state  of  convalescence  from  a 
ddngerous  fever,  he  proceeded  to  the  lines,  and  joined  the  army  of  General  Brown,  in 
which  no  officer  was  more  universally  esteemed. 


ASSkJJ^  V  ON  FORT  ERIE. 


307 


ipproach  of  daylight  enabled  both  parties  to  give  a  more  certain 
directiou  to  their  fire.  The  artillerists  had  already  severely 
suffered ;  but,  with  those  that  remained,  and  a  reinforcing  de 
tftchment  of  infantry.  Major  Hindman  renewed  his  attempts  to 
(Irive  the  British  41st  and  1 04th  from  the  bastion.  Captain  Bird- 
saJl,  at  the  same  moment,  drawing  out  his  riflemen  from  the 
ravelin,  rushed  through  the  gateway  into  the  fort,  and  joining  in 
the  charge,  received  an  accidental  wound  from  one  of  his  own 
men,  just  as  the  attack  failed.  Detachments  from  the  1st  brigade, 
under  Captain  Foster,  were  then  introduced  over  the  interior 
bastion,  to  the  assistance  of  Major  Hindman ;  these  detachments 
were  to  charge  at  a  different  point  of  the  salient  or  exterior 
bastion,  and  were  handsomely  led  on  by  Captain  Foster  and  the 
assistant  inspector-general.  Major  Hall.  This  ch?irge  also  failed ; 
the  passage  up  the  bastion  not  being  wide  enough  to  admit  more 
than  three  men  abreast.  It  was  frequently  however  repeated, 
and  though  it  sometimes  occasioned  much  slaughter  among  the 
enemy's  infantry,  was  invariably  repulsed.  By  the  operations 
of  the  artillery  from  a  demi-bastion  in  the  fort,  and  the  continual 
blaze  of  fire  from  the  small  arms,  added  to  the  effects  of  the  re- 
peated charges,  the  enemy's  column,  being  considerably  cut  up, 
and  many  of  its  principal  officers  wounded,  began  to  recoil; 
which,  being  observed  by  the  besieged  party,  and  the  contest 
having  entirely  subsided  on  the  left  fiank  of  the  works,  reinforce- 
ments were  brought  up  from  that  point,  and  many  of  the  enemy's 
troops,  in  a  few  moments,  thrown  from  the  bastion. 

The  British  reserve  was  now  expected  to  come  up ;  the  guns 
at  the  Douglass  battery  had  by  this  time  been  turned  so  as  to  en- 
filade that  column  in  its  approach ;  Captain  Fanning  was  already 
playing  upon  the  enemy  with  great  effect ;  and  Captain  Biddle 
was  ordered  to  post  a  piece  of  artillery  so  as  to  enfilade  the  salient 
glacis.  This  piece  was  served  with  uncommon  vivacity,  not- 
withstanding Captain  Biddle  had  been  severely  wounded  in  the 
shoulder.  All  these  preparations  being  made  for  an  effectual 
operation  upon  the  enemy's  remaining  column,  and  from  the 
dreadful  carnage  which  had  already  taken  place,  it  was  scawely 
supposed  that  he  would  continue  the  assault  much  longer.  But 
three  or  four  hundred  men  of  the  reserve,  were  about  to  rush 

SL 


398 


RESULT  OF  THE   ASSAULT. 


r 


'>UU 


I 


I 


I  • 


f},i 


Ik.' 


upm  *Jie  parapet  to  the  assistance  of  those  recoiling,  when  a  tre< 
mendcus  and  dreadful  explosion  took  place,  under  the  platform 
which  carried  away  the  bastion,  and  all  who  happened  to  be 
upon  it.*  The  enemy's  reserve  immediately  fell  back,  and  in 
a  short  time  the  contest  terminated  in  the  entire  defeat  of  the 
assailants,  who  returned  with  the  shattered  columns,  to  their 
encampment. 

On  retiring  from  the  assault,  according  to  the  report  of 
General  Gaines,  the  British  army  left  upon  the  field  two  hun* 
dred  and  twenty-two  killed,  among  whom  were  fourteen  officers 
of  distinction,  one  hundred  and  seventy-four  wounded,  and  one 
hundred  and  eighty-six  prisoners,  making  a  total  of  five  hun' 
dred  and  eighty-two.  Others  who  were  slightly  wounded  had 
been  carried  to  their  works. 

The  official  account  of  Lieutenant-General  Drummond  does 
not  acknowledge  so  large  a  number  in  killed,  but  makes  the 
aggregate  loss  much  greater.  His  adjutant-general  reported 
fiffcy-seven  killed,  three  hundred  and  nine  wounded,  and  five 
hundred  and  thirty-nine  missing — ^in  all  nine  hundred  and  five. 

The  American  loss  amounted  to  seventeen  killed,  fifly-six 
wounded,  and  one  lieutenant,  (Fontaine,)  who  was  thrown  over 
the  parapet  while  defending  the  bastion,  and  ten  privates  pri* 
soners — ^in  all  eighty-four  men ;  making  a  diflference  in  their 
favour  of  eight  hundred  and  twenty-one.  During  the  cannonade 
and  bombardment  which  commenced  on  the  13th,  and  continued 

*  This  explosion,  to  which  alone  the  enemy  attribnted  the  failure  of  his  arms,  not^ 
withstandingr  the  signal  repulses  of  his  right  and  left  columns,  has  been  variooslj 
accounted  for.  It  was  occasioned  by  the  communication  of  a  spark  to  an  ammnnitioD 
chest,  placed  under  the  platform  of  the  bastion,  but  by  what  means  the  narrator  of  thii 
event  has  not  been  able,  after  an  investigation  of  many  papers  written  to  him  upon  the 
subject,  to  ascertain.  It  is  to  be  regretted,  that  a  fact  constituting  so  important  a  featnn 
in  thi«  ipemorable  defense,  should  never  have  been  satisfactorily  developed.  Seven! 
letters  from  officers,  engaged  at  the  right  flank  of  the  American  works,  state  it  to  ban 
been  the  result  of  entire  accident;  whilst  others  relate,  that  Lieutenant  McDonougfa,  not 
having  been  immediately  removed  firom  the  foot  of  the  bastion,  on  which  he  had  been 
twice  wounded,  and  being  highly  exasperated  at  the  determination  which  he  saw  in  the 
conduct  of  the  enemy's  troops  to  show  no  mercy  to  the  vanquished  soldier,  resolred  upon 
devoting  himself  to  stop  the  progress  of  their  inhuman  career,  and  to  this  end  threw  a 
lighted  match  into  a  chest  of  ammunition,  and  by  iti  Immediate  explosion,  produced 
those  tremendous  effects,  which  restored  the  basdon  to  the  Americans,  and  terminated 
the  conflicti 


GENERAL   OAINES  WOUNDED. 


399 


until  an  hour  before  the  assault  on  the  morning  of  the  16th,  fortj  ■> 
five  men  of  the  American  garrison  were  killed  and  wouD(Jod. 
Captain  Biddle,  Lieutenant  Zantzinger,  and  Adjutant-Lieutc- 
nant  Watmough,  of  the  artillery,  and  Lieutenant  Patterson,  of 
the  19th  infanty,  among  the  latter. 

A  night  or  two  before  the  attack  upon  Fort  Erie,  the  Britiuh 
general  furnished  Captain  Dobbs,  of  the  royal  navy,  with  a 
sufficient  number  of  troops  to  man  nine  boats,  which  were  coin- 
pletely  fitted,  to  attack  the  three  schooners,  the  Somers,  Porcu- 
pine, and  Ohio,  then  Ipug  at  anchor  off  the  fort.  The  Porcupine 
succeeded  in  beating  them  off,  but  the  Somers  and  Ohio  were 
carried,  after  a  gallant  resistance,  in  which  the  enemy  lost  two 
seamen  killed,  and  four  wounded ;  and  the  schooners,  one  seaman 
killed,  and  three  officers  and  four  seamen  wounded.  The  cap- 
tured schooners  were  taken  down  the  Niagara,  and  anchored 
near  Frenchman's  creek ;  the  Porcupine  immediately  after  sailed 
for  the  town  of  Erie. 

In  consequence  of  his  immense  losses  in  the  assault,  the 
enemy's  force  was  reduced  almost  to  the  number  of  the  troops 
within  the  garrison ;  and  until  he  was  again  reinforced,  he  did 
not  think  proper  to  carry  on  his  operations.  A  few  days  brought 
him  a  reinforcement  of  two  full  regiments,  and  having  enlarged 
his  batteries,  and  made  arrangements  to  force  the  Americans  to 
the  evacuation  of  Fort  Erie,  he  opened  a  fire  from  his  whole 
line,  and  threw  in  hot  shot,  shells,  and  every  destructive  imple- 
ment within  his  reach,  without  intermission,  during  the  re- 
mainder of  the  month  of  August.  On  the  28th  General  Gaines 
ms  severely  wounded  in  several  parts  of  his  body,  by  a  shell 
which  fell  through  the  roof  of  his  quarters,  and  exploded  at  his 
feet  He  was  fortunate  enough  to  escape  suffocation,  by  gaining 
the  door  of  the  apartment,  but  being  entirely  disabled,  he  retired 
to  Buffalo,  and  left  the  command  again  in  the  hands  of  General 
Ripley,  who  neglected  no  means  to  facilitate  the  completion  of 
the  works,  which,  mth  the  assistance  of  the  engineers,  he  had 
originally  planned. 


400        0PKRATI0N8   ON  THE   NIAGARA   FRONTIER. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

2nta0ion  of  tTrrmont.— JFutttift  ovnaHoM  on  tj^t  tKiigit*  iTmiHn. 

HE  operations  against  the  enemy's 
positions  along  the  Niagara  had 
scarcely  been  entered  upon,  when 
the  governor-general,  Sir  George 
Prevost  matured  the  plan  of  an  ex- 
pedition, having  for  its  object,  the 
invasion  of  the  American  territory 
from  Lower  Canada ;  the  defeat  and 
destruction  of  the  right  division  of 
the  United  States  army,  then  lying 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Plattsburg, 
under  Major-General  Izard;  and 
the  subjugation  of  the  country  to 
Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoga.  No 
krffensive  measures,  against  any  part  of  Lower  Canada,  by  this 
army,  being  in  contemplation,  and  the  apprehensions  of  the  war 
department  having  been  strongly  excised  about  the  safety  of  the 
left  division,  after  its  investment  at  Fort  Erie,  General  Izard 
received  orders  to  march  for  that  post,  with  a  reinforcement  of 


prevost'8  expedition. 


401 


the  largest  proportion  of  his  troops,  and  to  asetime  the  command 
of  the  garrison.  Accordingly,  after  detaching  abuut  fifteen  hun- 
dred  men,  under  Brigadier-General  Macomb,  most  of  whom  were 
either  sick  or  convalescent,  and  requiring  of  General  Mooers,  of 
the  New  York  militia,  the  aid  of  a  few  volunteer  compn/jies,  for 
the  defense  of  Plattsburg,  he  marched  for  Sackett's  Harbour, 
with  upwards  of  three  thousand  men.  Being  thus  left  in  com- 
mand of  a  position,  open  to  the  attacks  of  the  enemy's  naval,  as 
well  as  his  land  forces,  General  Macomb  neglected  no  precaution 
to  prevent  surprise,  and  to  put  his  small  army  in  the  best  state 
of  discipline,  though  on  the  Ist  of  September,  in  consequence 
of  the  best  brigades  having  been  broken  up,  to  form  General 
Izard's  division,  b  w>  had  but  one  battalion  properly  organized. 
The  works  erecting  were  on  that  day  unfinished,  and  the  troops, 
therefore,  divided  into  detachments  to  complete  them. 

Transports,  with  troops,  had  been  continually  arriving  at  Que- 
bec, from  England,  and  such  was  the  secrecy  and  address  with 
which  Sir  George  Prevost  made  preparations  for  his  intended 
expedition,  that,  before  the  1st  of  September,  he  had  organized 
a  powerful  army  of  fourteen  thousand  men,  opposite  Montreal, 
constituted  of  the  most  experienced  generals,  and  distinguished 
officers  of  the  British  army.  This  comparatively  immense  force 
consisted  of  three  brigades,  and  a  corps  of  reserve,  the  brigades 
being  divided  into  twenty-four  divisions,  and  having  a  staff  com- 
posed of  two  lieutenant-generals,  five  major-generals,  and  a  pro- 
portionate number  of  assistants  and  deputies.  The  respective 
brigades  were  commanded  by  major-generals  Robertson,  Powers, 
Brisbane,  and  Baynes,  (adjutant-general.)  Major-General  Kempt 
commanded  the  reserve.  Sir  Sidney  Beckwith  was  quarter- 
master-general to  this  army,  and  Lieutenant-General  De  Rotten- 
burg,  the  second  in  command ;  Sir  George  Prevost  commanding 
in  person. 

About  the  1st  of  the  month,  he  occupied  with  these  troops  the 
village  of  Champlain,  and  issued  addresses  and  proclamations, 
inviting  the  citizens  to  his  standard,  and  promising  them  the 
protection  of  his  majesty's  government.  From  Champlain  he 
continued  to  make  gradual  approaches  towards  Plattsburg,  until 
the  6th.    Early  on  the  morning  of  that  day,  he  made  a  rapid 


3l3 


61 


402 


DEFENSE   OF   PLATTSBURO. 


ji 


1  «t 


advance,  in  two  columns,  one  coming  down  the  Beckmantown 
road,  and  the  other  along  the  Lake  road.     At  a  bridge  crossing 
Dead  creek,  intersecting  the  latter,  General  Macomb  had  sta- 
tioned  a  detachment  of  two  hundred  men,  under  Captain  Sproul 
of  the  13th,  to  abatis  the  woods,  and  to  place  obstructions  in 
the  road ;  after  which,  he  was  to  fortify  himself  with  two  field- 
pieces,  sent  with  him  for  that  purpose,  and  to  receive  orders 
from  Lieutenant-Colonel  Appling,  who,  with  one  hundred  rifle- 
men,  was  reconnoitering  the  enemy's  movements  some  distance 
in  advance  of  this  position.     The  brigade  of  General  Brisbane, 
which  approached  through  the  Beckmantovm  road  with  more 
rapidity  than  the  other,  was  met  by  about  seven  hundred  militia, 
under  General  Mooers,  who,  after  a  slight  skirmish  with  the 
enemy's  light  parties,  with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  compa- 
nies fled  in  the  greatest  disorder.     Those  who  were  intrepid 
enough  to  remain,  were  immediately  formed  with  a  corps  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  regulars,  under  Major  Wool,  of  the  29th, 
and  disputed  the  passage  of  the  road  for  some  time.     But  their 
fears  also  getting  at  length  the  better  of  their  judgment,  notwith- 
standing the  enemy  fired  only  from  his  flankers  and  patrolling 
parties,  they  followed  the  example  of  their  comrades,  and  pre- 
cipitately retired  to  the  village.  Major  Wool's  regulars  remained 
firm,  however,  and  being  joined  by  Captain  Leonard's  park  of 
flying  artillery,  and  the  6th,  and  a  detachment  of  the  34th  regi- 
ments, continued  to  annoy  the  advanced  parties  of  the  British 
column,  and  killed  Lieutenant-Colonel  Welliugton,  of  the  3d,  or 
buffs,  who  was  at  its  head. 

General  Macomb,  at  this  moment  personally  directing  the 
movements  in  the  town,  soon  saw  that  the  enemy's  object  in 
making  so  much  more  rapid  a  march  on  its  west,  than  on  the 
north,  was  to  cut  off  Lieutenant-Colonel  Appling's  and  Captain 
Sproul's  detachments,  despatched  his  aid.  Lieutenant  Root,  with 
orders  to  those  ofl[icers  to  withdraw  their  forces  from  Dead  creek, 
to  join  the  detachment  of  Major  Wool,  and  to  fall  upon  the 
enemy's  right  flank.  Whilst  Lieutenant-Colonel  Appling  was 
proceeding  in  obedience  to  this  order,  he  was  encountered  on 
the  north  side  of  the  town  by  the  light  divisions  of  the  enemy's 
1st  brigade,  sent  for  the  purpose  of  cutting  him  oflf,  and  which 


DEFENSE   OF  PLATTSBURO. 


403 


had  that  moment  emerged  from  the  woods.  Their  numbers  were 
superior,  and  had  he  been  delayed  an  instant  longer  on  the  Lake 
road,  he  must  inevitably  have  yielded.  Here  he  engaged,  but 
after  a  short  contest,  retired  before  them.  In  the  centre  of  the 
town  he  re-engaged  them,  and  being  joined  by  Major  Wool,  was 
ordered  to  retire  to  the  American  works  on  the  south  of  the 
Saranac. 

HE  retreat  was  effected  in  good 
order,  and  covered  by  a  guard  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  men, 
under  Captain  McGlassin,  of  the 
15th  infantry;  the  detachments 
alternately  retiring  and  keeping 
up  a  brisk  and  effectual  fire  upon 
the  British  columns.  Having 
reached  the  works  with  a  trifling 
loss,  General  Macomb  ordered 
Lieutenant  Harriso  ,  of  the  13th, 
under  the  direction  of  Major  Wool, 
and  protected  by  Captain  Leonard's  artillery,  to  destroy  the 
bridge  over  the  Saranac. 

This  order  was  not  executed  without  some  dijSiculty,  the  Bri- 
tish having  occupied  the  houses  near  the  bridge,  with  their  light 
troops,  kept  up  a  constant  fire  from  the  windows,  and  wounded 
Lieutenants  Harrison  and  Turner,  of  the  13th  and  Taylor,  of  the 
34th.  These  troops  were,  however,  soon  after  dislodged  by  a 
discharge  of  hot  shot  from  the  American  works,  and  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  right  column,  were  engaged  the  remainder  of  the 
day  in  various  attempts  to  drive  the  guards  from  the  several 
bridges.  But  the  planks  had  all  been  taken  up,  and  being 
placed  in  the  form  of  breastworks,  served  to  cover  the  American 
light  parties  stationed  for  the  defense  of  the  passages. 

The  obstructions  which  had  been  thrown  in  the  way  of  the 
column  advancing  by  the  Lake  road,  and  the  destruction  of  the 
bridge  over  Dead  creek,  greatly  impeded  its  approaches,  and,  in 
attempting  to  ford  the  creek,  it  received  a  severe  and  destructive 
fire  from  the  gun-boats  and  galleys  anchored  in  front  of  the 
town.    But  not  all  the  galleys,  aided  by  the  armament  of  the 


-f" 


■mi 

i  i  w.] 


404 


DEFENSE   OF  PLATTSBURO. 


Hi " 


iVigii'n'i, 
^'\  If'  ' 


whole  flotilla,  which  then  lay  opposite  Plattsburg,  under  Com« 
modore  McDonough,  could  have  prevented  the  capture  of  Ma- 
comb's  army,  after  its  passage  of  the  Saranac,  had  Sir  George 
Prevost  pushed  his  whole  force  upon  the  margin  of  that  stream. 
Like  General  Drummond  at  Erie,  he  made  a  pause,  in  full  view 
of  the  unfinished  works  of  the  Americans,  and  consumed  five 
days  in  erecting  batteries,  and  throwing  up  breastworks,  for  the 
protection  of  his  approaches.  Of  this  interval  the  American 
general  did  not  fail  to  avail  himself,  and  kept  his  troops  con- 
stantly employed  in  finishing  his  line  of  redoubts. 

Whilst  both  parties  were  thus  engaged  in  providing  for  the 
protection  of  their  forces,  the  main  body  of  the  British  army 
came  up  with  the  advance ;  and  General  Macomb  was  also  re- 
inforced by  the  militia  of  New  York,  and  the  volunteers  from 
the  mountains  of  Vermont.  Skirmishes  between  light  detach- 
ments, sallies  from  the  different  works,  and  frequisnt  attempts  to 
restore  the  bridges,  served  to  amuse  the  besiegers  and  the  be- 
sieged, while  the  former  were  getting  up  a  train  of  batterin<T 
cannon,  and  the  latter  strengthening  their  lines,  and  preparing 
to  repel  the  attack.  In  one  of  these  skirmishes  on  the  7th,  a 
British  detachment  making  a  violent  effort  to  obtain  possession 
of  the  pass  of  a  bridge,  was  handsomely  repulsed  by  a  small 
guard  under  Lieutenant  Runk  of  the  6th  infantry,  who  received 
a  musket  ball  in  his  body,  and  expired  on  the  following  day. 
He  was  the  only  officer  killed  during  the  siege. 

The  New  York  militia  and  Vermont  volunteers  were  now 
principally  stationed  at  the  different  bridges  crossing  the  Sara- 
nac, or  in  the  wood  opposite  the  fording  places.  From  these 
positions  they  annoyed  the  enemy's  guards,  and  poured  repeated 
discharges  of  musketry  into  his  masked  batteries. 

Two  of  General  Macomb's  new  works  were  called  Fort  Brown 
and  Fort  Scott,  and  opposite  the  former,  it  was  suspected  a  very 
powerful  masked  battery  had  been  constructed,  in  order  sud- 
denly to  demolish  it,  at  a  time  of  general  attack.  To  discover 
the  truth  of  this  suspicion,  and  if  possible  to  destroy  or  to  muti- 
late such  a  work,  Captain  McGlassin,  on  the  night  of  the  9th, 
volunteered  his  services  to  ford  the  river  with  a  competent 
detachment*    His  enterprise  was  approved  of  by  the  general, 


,  under  Com« 
ipture  of  Ma. 
1  Sir  George 
f  that  stream. 
B,  in  full  view 
onsumed  five 
works,  for  the 
;he  American 
is  troops  con- 

viding  for  the 
British  army 
3  was  also  re- 
•lunteers  from 
light  detach- 
nt  attempts  to 
s  and  the  be- 
n  of  batterins 
and  preparing 
( on  the  7th,  a 
tain  possession 
ed  by  a  small 
,  who  received 
following  day. 

jers  were  now 
sing  the  Sara- 
.  From  these 
oured  repeated 

ed  Fort  Brown 
ispected  a  very 
,  in  order  sud- 
To  discover 
xoy  or  to  muti- 
»ht  of  the  9th, 
1  a  competent 
)y  the  general, 


who 
capl 
and 
seer 
maTj 

fifty 
and 
and 
disc( 
H 
ofh 
tach 
sign: 
cons 
ever 
men 


one 

its  c 

sixlK 

sessi 

batte 

allp 


whi( 
with 
toil 
ante 
the 
pub 
maj( 
0 
in  d 
pare 
by  a 
they 
oftl 


DEFENSE  OF  PLATT8BUR0. 


407 


who  assigned  him  the  command  of  fifty  men.  With  these  the 
captain  succeeded  in  fording  the  river  nearly  under  Fort  Brown, 
and  upon  gaining  the  opposite  shore,  proceeded  with  great 
secrecy  about  three  hundred  yards.  At  this  distance  from  the 
margin  of  the  river,  he  encountered  a  guard  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men,  whom  he  instantly  engaged,  and  with  such  vigour 
and  address,  as  to  deceive  them,  with  respect  to  hia  own  force, 
and  after  a  short  contest  to  drive  them  behind  a  work,  which  he 
discovered  to  be  the  suspected  masked  battery. 

Having  succeeded  in  the  accomplishment  of  one  of  the  objects 
of  his  enterpi^se,  neither  Captain  McGlassin,  nor  his  brave  de- 
tachment, could  think  of  returning  to  the  army,  without  having 
signalized  the  expedition  by  some  act,  more  important  in  its 
consequences  than  the  putting  to  flight  an  enemy's  guard,  how- 
ever superior  in  numbers.  He  accordingly  led  up  his  detach- 
ment to  charge  upon  the  work,  into  which  the  British  guard  had 
fled,  and  by  one  or  two  vigorous  onsets,  in  which  he  had  bat 
one  man  wounded,  he  carried  the  battery,  and  entirely  routed 
its  defenders,  with  the  loss  of  their  commanding  officer  and 
sixteen  men  killed,  and  several  wounded.  Being  now  in  pos- 
session of  a  work  which  would  have  incalculably  annoyed  the 
batteries  at  Fort  Brown,  Captain  McGlassin  destroyed  it  with 
all  possible  haste,  and  returned  to  the  American  works  with  the 
loss  of  three  men  missing.  For  this  gallant  and  hazardous  essay, 
which  had  a  tendency  not  only  to  deceive  the  British  general 
with  regard  to  the  actual  force  of  General  Macomb's  army,  and 
to  inspire  the  troops,  militia  as  well  as  regulars,  with  a  spirit  of 
enterprise,  but  placed  a  principal  work.  Fort  Brown,  beyond 
the  possibility  of  being  silenced,  Captain  McGlassin  recieived  the 
public  thanks  of  his  commanding  officer,  and  nhe  brevet  rank  of 
major  from  the  president  of  the  United  States. 

On  the  morning  of  the  11th,  the  motives  of  the  British  general, 
in  delajdng  his  assault  upon  the  American  works,  became  ap- 
parent. Being  assured  of  his  ability  at  any  time  to  destroy  them 
by  a  single  effort,  he  was  regardless  of  the  manner  in  which 
they  might  be  gradually  strengthened,  and  awaited  the  arrival 
of  the  British  squadron  from  Lake  Champlain,  in  co-operation 
i^ith  which  he  contemplated  a  general  attack,  and  the  easy  cap 


i 


,4C 


i; 


lii 


406 


ARRIVAL  OF  THE  BRITISH  FLEET. 


ft"   f 
8£fS  -"    ' 


ture  of  the  American  fleet  and  army.  On  that  day  his  fleet, 
consisting  of  a  large  frigate,  the  Confiance,  of  thirty-nine  guns- 
the  brig  Linnet,  of  sixteen ;  the  sloops  Chub  and  Finch,  (for- 
merly  the  United  States  sloops  Growler  and  Eagle,)  of  eleven 
guns  each;  and  thirteen  gun-boats  and  row-galleys,  mounting 
in  all  ninety-five  guns,  and  having  a  complement  of  one  thousand 
and  fifty  men,  made  its  appearance,  under  Captain  Downie, 
round  Cumberland  Head,  and  immediately  engaged  the  Ameri- 
can  squadron  under  Commodore  McDonough,  then  moored  in 
Plattsburg  bay,  and  consisting  of  the  ship  Saratoga,  the  briw 
Eagle,  the  schooner  Ticonderoga,  the  sloop  Preble,  and  ten 
gun-boats,  mounting  altogether  eighty-six  guns,  (the  largest 
vessel  carrying  twenty-six,)  and  being  manned  with  eight  hun- 
dred and  twenty  men. 

The  first  gun  from  the  Confiance  was  the  signal  for  a  general 
action,  and  Sir  George  Prevost  instantly  opened  his  batteries 
upon  the  works  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  Saranac.  A  tremen- 
dous cannonade  ensued ;  bomb  shells  and  congreve  rockets  were 
thrown  into  the  American  lines  during  the  wbole  day,  and  fre- 
quent but  ineffectual  attempts  made  to  ford  the  river.  At  a 
bridge  about  a  mile  up  the  river,  an  attempt  to  throw  over  a  di- 
vision of  the  enemy's  army  was  handsomely  repulsed  by  a  de- 
tachment of  regulars ;  and  an  effort  to  force  the  passage  of  the 
bridge  in  the  town  was  effectually  checked  by  a  party  of  rifle- 
men, under  Captain  Grosvenor.  But  the  principal  slaughter 
took  place  at  a  ford  three  miles  from  the  works.  There  the 
enemy  succeeded  in  crossing  over  three  companies  of  the  76th 
regiment  before  his  advance  was  impeded.  A  body  of  volun- 
teers and  militia,  stationed  in  a  contiguous  wood,  opened  a  heavy 
fire  upon  .:hem,  and  after  a  spirited  contest,  in  which  one  of  these 
companies  was  entirely  destroyed,  its  captain  killed,  and  three 
lieutenants,  and  tvventy-seven  men  made  prisoners,  those  who 
had  attained  the  shore  fell  back  in  disorder,  upon  an  approaching 
column,  then  in  the  middle  of  the  river.  The  receding  and  ad- 
vancing columns  mingled  with  each  other,  and  being  closely 
pressed  by  the  volunteers,  the  whole  body  was  thrown  into  a 
state  of  confusion,  from  which  the  officers  could  not  recover 
them;  numbers  were  killed  in  the  stream,  and  the  dead  and 


lay  his  fleet, 
l^-nine  guns; 

Finch,  (for- 
B,)  of  eleven 
^s,  mounting 
>ne  thousand 
ain  Downie, 
i  the  Ameri- 
sn  moored  in 
iga,  the  brig 
ble,  and  ten 

(the  largest 
h  eight  hun- 

for  a  general 
his  batteries 
;.  A  tremen- 
rockets  were 
day,  and  fre- 
river.  At  a 
ow  over  a  di« 
sed  by  a  de- 
tassage  of  the 
party  of  rifle- 
3al  slaughter 
There  the 
J  of  the  76th 
)dy  of  volun- 
ened  a  heavy 
a  one  of  these 
jd,  and  three 
s,  those  who 
L  approaching 
jding  and  ad- 
3eing  closely 
irown  into  a 
not  recover 
he  dead  and 


:i  I 


f> 


BATTLE   ON  LAKE   CHAMPLAIN. 


411 


^v'ounded  being  swept  along  by  the  force  of  the  current,  sunk 
into  one  common  grave. 

T  was  the  result  of  the  engagement 
between  the  two  naval  armaments, 
which  continued  upwards  of  two 
hours,  in  presence  of  the  contend- 
ing armies,  which  determined  the 
action  upon  land.  Its  eifects  were 
sensibly  felt  by  the  British  general, 
whose  plans  were  completely  frus- 
trated by  its  issue.  After  gettingr 
round  Cumberland  Head,  Captain 
Downie  anchored  his  fleet  within  three  hundred  yards  of  the 
line  formed  by  Commodore  McDonough,  and  placing  the 
Confiance  frigate  in  opposition  to  the  Saratoga,  the  Linnet  to 
the  Eagle,  Captain  Henley,  one  of  his  sloops,  and  all  his  galleys, 
to  the  schooner  Ticonderoga,  Lieutenant-Commandant  Cassin, 
and  the  sloop  Preble,  his  other  sloop 'alternately  assisting  the 
Saratoga  and  Eagle.  The  latter  vessel  was  so  situated,  shortly 
after  the  commencement  of  the  action,  that  the  guns  could  not 
be  brought  to  bear,  and  Captain  Henley  cut  her  cable,  and  placed 
iier  between  the  commodore's  ship  and  the  Ticonderoga,  from 
which  situation,  though  she  exposed  the  Saratoga  to  a  galling 
fire,  she  annoyed  the  enemy's  squadron  with  much  effect.  Some 
minutes  after  ten  o'clock,  nearly  all  the  guns  on  the  starboard 
side  of  the  Saratoga  being  either  dismounted  or  entirely  un- 
manageable, Commodore  McDonough  was  obliged  to  put  out  a 
stern  anchor,  and  to  cut  the  bower  cable,  by  which  means  the 
Saratoga  winded  on  the  enemy's  frigate  with  a  fresh  broadside, 
which  being  promptly  delivered,  the  Confiance  immediately  after 
surrendered,  with  one  hundred  and  five  round  shot  in  her  hull,  and 
her  captain  and  forty-nine  men  killed,  and  sixty  wounded.  The 
Saratoga  had  fifty-five  round  shot  in  her  hull,  and  had  been  twice 
set  on  fire  by  hot  shot  from  the  Confiance,  but  she  sustained  a  loss 
of  only  twenty-eight  in  killed,  and  twenty-nine  wounded,  notwith- 
standing she  mounted  thirteen  guns  less  than  her  antagonist. 
The  Confiance  had  no  sooner  surrendered,  than  the  Saratoga's 

broadside  was  sprung  to  bear  on  the  brig,  whose  flag  struck 
102 


412 


BRITISH   FLEET  CAPTURED. 


fifteen  minutes  after.  Captain  Henley,  in  the  Eagle,  had  already 
captured  one  of  the  enemy's  sloops,  and  the  Ticondcroga,  after 
having  sustained  a  galling  fire,  caused  the  surrender  of  the  re- 
maining vessel.  The  principal  vessels  of  the  British  fleet  beincr 
now  all  captured,  and  three  of  their  row  galleys  sunk,  the  re^ 
maining  ten  escaped  from  the  bay  in  a  shattered  condition. 

Among  the  officers  killed  on  board  the  Saratoga,  was  the  first 
lieutenant,  Gamble,  and  on  board  the  Ticonderoga,  Lieutenant 
John  Stansbury,  son  of  General  Tobias  Stansbury,  of  Maryland, 
who  was  shot  upon  mounting  the  netting,  to  discover  in  what 
manner  the  guns  of  his  division  might  be  brought  to  bear  more 
effectually  upon  one  of  the  enemy's  vessels.  Among  the  wounded 
were  Lieutenant  Smith,  acting  Lieutenant  Spencer,  and  Mid- 
shipman Baldwin.  The  total  loss  of  Commodore  McDonough's 
squadron  amounted  to  fifty-two  men  killed,  and  fifty-eight 
wounded.  The  enemy's  loss  was  eighty-four  men  killed,  one 
hundred  and  ten  wounded,  and  eight  hundred  and  fifty-six  pri- 
soners, who  alone  amounted  to  a  greater  number  than  those  by 
whom  they  were  taken. 

The  capture  of  his  fleet  being  announced  to  Sir  George  Pre- 
vost,  he  immediately  withdrew  his  forces  from  the  assarit  of  the 
American  works.  From  his  batteries,  however,  he  kept  up  a 
constant  fire  until  the  dusk  of  the  evening,  when,  being  silenced 
by  the  guns  of  Fort  Moreau,  under  Colonel  M.  Smith,  and  of 
Forts  Brown  and  Scott,  he  retired  within  the  town,  and  at  nine 
at  night  sent  off  his  artillery,  and  all  the  baggage  for  which  he 
could  obtain  transport.  About  midnight  he  made  a  disgraceful 
and  precipitate  retreat,  leaving  behind  him  all  his  sick  and 
wounded,  with  a  request  that  they  might  be  generously  treated 
by  General  Macomb.  At  daybreak  of  the  12th,  this  movement 
being  discovered  by  that  officer,  he  immediately  despatched  his 
light  troops,  and  the  volunteers  and  militia,  in  pursuit.  The 
enemy,  however,  had  retired  with  such  celerity,  as  to  reach 
Chazy  before  the  pursuit  was  commenced,  and  a  violent  storm 
prevented  its  continuance.  Immense  quantities  of  provisions, 
bomb  shells,  cannon  balls,  grape  shot,  ammunition,  flints,  in- 
trenching tools,  tents,  and  marquees  were  taken,  and  upwards  of 
tour  hundred  deserters  surrendered  themselves  in  the  course  of 


RESULT    OF    THE    BATTLES. 


413 


Commodore  MeDonough. 

the  day.  Besides  these  Sir  George  lost  seventy-five  prisoners, 
and  as  nearly  as  could  be  ascertained,  about  fifteen  hundred 
killed  and  wounded,  among  them  several  officers  of  rank.  The 
loss  of  the  American  army,  which,  with  the  accession  of  the 
volunteers  and  militia,  did  not  exceed  twenty-five  hundred  men, 
amounted  to  thirty-seven  killed,  sixty-two  wounded,  and  twenty 


missing. 


For  the  gallantry  which  they  displayed  in  this  splendid  en- 
gagement, General  Macomb,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Appling,  Ma- 
jors Wool,  of  the  29th,  and  Totten,  of  the  engineers,  whose  ser- 
vices were  eminently  conspicuous  in  the  construction  of  the 
works,  and  Captain  Brooks  of  the  artillery,  received  the  brevet 
rank  of  the  grades  next  above  those  which  they  held  on  the  day 
of  the  action.  Captain  Youngs,  of  the  15th,  had  been  put  on 
lioard  the  squadron,  with  a  detachment  of  infantry  to  act  as 
marines ;  and  for  his  coolness  and  intrepidity,  in  a  species  of 
service  distinct  from  that  to  which  he  was  attached,  was  also 
breveted.  Captain  Grosvenor,  of  the  infantry,  and  the  brigade 
maior,  Lieutenant  Duncan,  of  the  artillery,  were  conspicuous 

2x3 


414 


SORTIE  FROM  FORT  ERIE. 


!'. 


if  n 


for  their  zeal  and  activity  throughout  the  engagement ;  the  latter 
was  charged  with  the  delivery  of  the  despatches  to  the  war  dn 
partment.  Promotions  took  place  also  in  the  navy,  and  Commodore 
McDonough  was  immediately  elevated  to  the  rank  of  post-captain. 

The  investment  of  Fort  Erie  was  all  this  time  continued 
the  troops  of  the  garrison  were  actively  engaged  in  the  coraple- 
tion  of  the  bastions  and  of  the  abatis  on  the  right  flank ;  and 
the  beseigers  employed  in  the  erection  of  additional  batteries 
intended  to  enfilade  the  western  ramparts  of  the  American  works. 
General  Brown  had  returned  to  the  post,  and  resumed  the  Gom. 
mand  of  the  army,  which  had  been  in  the  mean  time  reinforced 
by  new  levies  of  militia.  About  the  middle  of  September,  after 
these  arrangements  were  completed,  an  attempt  to  dislodge  the 
enemy  from  his  intrenched  works,  and  to  deprive  him  of  the 
means  of  annoying  the  garrison,  was  determined  on.  A  sortie 
was  planned,  and  the  morning  of  the  17th  appointed  for  its  exe- 
cution. Lieutenants  Riddle  and  Frazer,  of  the  16th  infantry, 
had  already  opened  a  road  from  the  southern  angle  of  the  Har- 
rison to  a  point  within  pistol-shot  of  the  enemy's  right  wing,  and 
with  such  secrecy,  that  it  was  not  discovered  until  the  actual 
assault  was  commenced.  About  noon  the  regulars,  infantry,  and 
riflemen,  and  the  volunteers  and  militia,  were  in  readiness  to 
march ;  and  before  two  o'clock  the  sortie  was  made.  The  divi 
sion  issuing  from  the  left,  was  commanded  by  General  Porter, 
and  composed  of  two  hundred  riflemen  and  a  few  Indians,  under  | 
Colonel  Gibson,  and  two  columns,  the  rigiit  commanded  by  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Wood,  and  the  left  by  Brigadier-General  Davis,  I 
of  the  New  York  militia.  These  columns  were  conducted 
through  the  woods  by  Lieutenants  Riddle  and  Frazer,  and  ap- 
proached upon  the  enemy's  new  battery,  on  his  right,  witli  such 
rapidity,  as  to  surprise  the  brigade  stationed  at  his  line.  His 
batteries,  Nos.  3  and  4,  were  gallantly  stormed,  and  after  thirty 
minutes  close  action,  both  carried.  Colonel  Gibson  and  Lieute- 
nant-Colonel Wood,  fell  at  the  head  of  their  columns,  almost  at  | 
the  onset,  and  the  respective  commands  devolved  upon  Lieute- 
nant-Colonel McDonald  and  Major  Brooks. 

A  block-house  in  the  rear  of  battery  No.  3  was  also  carried, 
and  its  garrison  made  prisoners.    Three  twenty-four-pounders  I 


SORTIE   FROM  FORT  ERIE. 


415 


and  their  carriages  were  destroyed,  and  after  the  prisoners  were 
jecured,  and  the  American  coluini\R  moved  beyond  its  influence, 
Lieutenant  Riddle  descended  into  the  magazine,  and,  first  taking 
out  a  quantity  of  fixed  ammunition,  set  fire  to  a  train  leading 
to  several  barrels  of  powder.  The  explosion  took  place  much 
sooner  than  the  lieutenant  expected,  md  not  being  able  to  escape 
in  time,  he  was  covered  with  the  combustibles  and  fragments  of 
the  magazine,  from  which  he  was  extricated  with  the  utmost 
difficulty.  At  the  moment  of  this  explosion,  the  right  division 
of  the  troops  which  had  been  stationed  in  the  ravine  between 
the  fort  and  the  enemy's  works,  under  General  Miller,  with 
orders  not  to  attack  until  General  Porter  had  engaged  the  ene- 
my's right  flank,  first  came  up  to  the  assault,  and  in  co-operation 
with  Colonel  Gibson's  column,  pierced  the  British  intrenchments 
between  their  batteries  Nos.  2  and  3,  and  after  a  severe  contest, 
I  carried  the  former.  In  this  assault,  Brigadier-General  Davis,  of 
I'the  New  York  militia,  fell  at  the  head  of  his  corps. 

The  enemy's  second  block-house,  his  batteries  2  and  3,  and 
his  unfinished  battery  No.  4,  with  the  intervening  breastworks 
and  intrenchments,  being  now  all  in  the  possession  of  the  Ame- 
ricans, General  Miller's  division  inclined  towards  the  river  with 
a  view  to  assail  his  battery  No.  1,  erected  at  the  extremity  of  his 
left  flank.  At  this  point  the  enemy  made  a  much  bolder  and 
more  obstinate  resistance.  There  his  defenses  were  constructed 
with  the  most  studied  intricacy ;  breastworks  had  been  thrown 
up  connecting  his  first  and  second  battery ;  successive  lines  of 
intrenchments  intersected  each  other  for  nearly  a  hundred  yards 
in  their  rear ;  and  rows  of  abatis  and  timber  planted  in  multi- 
plied involutions,  formed  impediments  to  the  approach  of  the 
assailants,  produced  some  confusion  in  the  column,  and  made 
constant  appeals  to  the  bayonet  necessary.  . 

Before  General  Miller  attempted  this  movement  upon  the  bat- 
tery near  the  water.  General  Brown  had  ordered  up  General 
Ripley  with  the  reserve,  comprised  of  the  21st  regiment,  under 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Upham,  and  desired  him,  as  the  senior  officer 
in  advance,  to  ascertain  the  general  situation  of  the  troops,  and 
to  withdraw  them  from  the  enemy's  works,  as  soon  as  the  object 
of  the  sortie,  the  destruction  of  his  batteries,  was  effected.     The 


416 


GENERAL    RIPLEY    WOUNDED. 


reserve,  in  obedience  to  this  order,  promptly  advanced  to  the 
Bupport  of  Miller's  column,  and  came  into  the  engagement  as 
the  enemy's  force  was  strengthened  from  his  encampment.  This 
column  was  composed  of  the  9th,  the  11th,  and  part  of  the  19th 
infantry;  the  first  being  commanded  by  Lieutenant-Colonel 
A  spin  wall,  who  lost  his  left  arm  in  the  assault;  and  the  last,  by 
Major  Trimble,  who  was  dangerously  shot  through  the  body. 
Under  the  immediate  direction  of  the  same  gallant  leader,  who  j 
had  carried  the  cannon  upon  the  eminence  at  Lundy's  lane,  and 
aided  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Upham,  with  the  21st  and  part  of 
the  17th,  it  made  a  rapid  charge  upon,  and  stormed  the  remain- 
ing  battery,  which  was  instantly  abandoned  by  the  British  in- 
fantry  and  artillery. 

General  Ripley  then  ordered  a  line  to  be  formed  in  front,  for  I 
the  protection  of  the  detachments  engaged  in  spiking  the  ene- 
my's guns,  and  demolishing  the  captured  works.     This  line  he 
determined  also  to  strengthen,  in  order  to  annoy  the  rear  of  | 
General  Drummond's  retreating  forces,  and  was  in  the  act  of  j 
forwarding  these  arrangements,  when  he  received  a  dangerous 
wound  in  the  neck,  and  fell  by  the  side  of  Major  Brook,  of  the 
23d,  whose  command  was  at  that  moment  engaged  with  a  de- 1 
tachment  on  the  enemy's  right.     His  aid.  Lieutenant  Kirby, 
caused  him  to  be  removed  to  the  garrison,  and  G  eneral  Miller  I 
having  ordered  the  right  wing  to  fall  back,  the  troops  upon  the 
left  were  shortly  after  recalled,  and  the  operations  ceased  with] 
the  accomplishment  of  all  the  objects  of  the  sortie. 

The  troops  then  returned  to  the  garrison  with  their  prisoners, 
and  many  trophies  of  their  valour ;  and,  on  the  third  day  after, 
Lieutenant-General  Drummond,  who  had  been  joined  before  the  I 
sortie  by  Major-Generals  De  Watteville  and  Stovin,  broke  up 
his  encampment,  raised  the  siege,  and  hastily  retired  upon  Fort 
George!     In  addition  to  the  loss  of  nearly  all  his  cannon, his [ 
force  was  again  reduced  at  least  one  thousand  men ;  and,  not- 
withstanding th^  results  of  forty-seven  days   incessant  labour  I 
were  destroyed,  and  eleven  of  his  officers,  and  three  hundred 
and  seventy-four  of  his  non-commissioned  ofl[icers  and  privates 
made  prisoners,  and  transferred  to  the  American  shore,  he  called  [ 
the  event  a  repulse  of  an  American  army  of  five  thousand  men, 


GENERAL"  BROWN  SUPERSEDED. 


417 


,t 


im 


General  Brown. 


by  an  inconsiderable  number  of  British  troops.  Including  the 
names  already  mentioned,  General  Brown's  army  lost  ten  officers 
and  seventy  men  killed ;  twenty-four  officers  and  one  hundred 
and  ninety  men  wounded ;  and  ten  officers  and  two  hundred  and 
six  men  missing — in  all  five  hundred  and  ten. 

Not  long  after  the  enemy  had  been  thus  compelled  to  raise 
the  siege  of  Fort  Erie,  the  garrison  was  enlarged  by  the  arrival 
of  the  right  division,  under  Major-General  Izard,  who  superseded 
General  Brown  in  the  command  of  the  army.  The  accession 
of  this  division,  and  the  strength  of  the  defenses,  which  were  all 
by  this  time  entire,  and  some  of  them  garnished  with  heavy 
cannon,  rendered  Fort  Erie  impregnable  to  the  attacks  of  any 
other  than  a  vastly  superior  force ;  and  the  month  intervening 
between  the  17tb  of  September  and  the  18th  of  October,  was 
constantly  employed  in  drilling,  and  harmonizing  the  discipline 
of  the  two  wings  of  the  army.  In  the  neighbourhood  of  Cook's 
Mills  at  Lyon's  creek,  a  branch  of  the  Chippewa,  it  was  under* 

63 


41^ 


EXPEDITION    TO    COO'k's    MILLS. 


ml 


»m 


stood  that  quantities  of  provision  were  desposited  for  the  use  of 
the  British  troops,  and  General  Izard  directed  General  Bissell 
commanding  the  2d  brigade  of  the  1st  division,  to  march  thither 
and  seize  them.  On  the  18th  he  proceeded  on  the  expedition 
and  after  driving  in  a  picket  guard,  and  capturing  its  command- 
ing officer,  he  threw  two  light  companies,  under  Captain  Dor- 
man,  of  the  5th,  and  Lieutenant  Horrell,  of  the  16th  infantry, 
and  a  company  of  riflemen,  under  Captain  Irvine,  across  Lyon's 
creek,  and  encamped  for  the  night,  with  picket  guards  stationed 
at  proper  distances.  One  of  these  commanded  by  Lieutenant 
Gassaway,  and  stationed  on  the  Chippewa  road,  was  attacked 
by  two  companies  of  the  Glengary  light  infantry,  which  were 
beaten  off  with  loss. 

On  the  following  morning  the  brigade  was  attacked  by  a  force 
of  twelve  hundred  men,  under  Colonel  the  Marquis  of  Tweedale. 
Captain  Dorman's  infantry,  and  Irvine's  riflemen,  received  the 
first  fire  of  the  enemy,  and  sustained  it  with  the  greatest  gal- 
lantry, whilst  General  Bissell  was  forming  and  bringing  up  the 
other  troops  to  their  support.  Colonel  Pinckney,  with  the  5th 
regiment,  was  ordered  to  turn  the  enemy's  right  flank,  and  to 
cut  off  a  piece  of  artillery  which  he  had  just  then  brought  into 
action,  whilst  Major  Barnard,  with  the  14th,  was  to  charge  them 
in  front.  These  movements  were  instantly  effected.  The  ene- 
my's left  flank  and  his  centre  sunk  under  the  fire  of  cor2)s  d*  elite, 
and  the  riflemen,  and  the  charge  of  the  14th ;  and  his  right  flank 
was  turned  immediately  after  by  the  rapid  and  forcible  move- 
ment of  the  5th.  The  recoil  of  his  line,  and  the  approach  of  the 
American  reserve,  composed  of  the  15th,  under  Major  Grindage, 
and  the  16th,  under  Colonel  Pearce,  to  enforce  the  success  of 
the  main  body,  was  no  sooner  perceived  by  the  marquis,  than 
he  ordered  his  troops  to  retire  from  the  ground  on  which  they 
had  engaged  General  Bissell ;  and,  expecting  to  draw  that  officer 
after  him,  fell  back  to  his  fortifications  at  the  mouth  of  the  river, 
As  his  retreat  was  made  without  much  regard  to  order,  all  his 
killed,  and  most  of  his  wounded,  were  left  behind.  He  was  pur- 
sued b'-.t  a  small  distance,  when  General  Bissell,  in  conformity 
to  his  instructions,  destroyed  the  provisions  at  the  mills,  and 
returned  to  his  position  at  Black  creek,  having  eifected  the 


DESTRUCTION    OF    FORT    EI  IE. 


419 


object  of  his  expedition,  with  the  loss  of  sixty-seven  killed, 
wounded,  and  missing. 

The  whole  airay,  with  the  exception  of  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Hindman's  artillery,  to  whom  the  command  of  Fort  Erie,  and 
the  works  was  intrusted,  was  now  operating  in  the  vicinity  of 
Black  creek  and  Chippewa.  Its  staff  had  been  reduced  by  the 
removal  of  General  Ripley  to  the  American  shore  after  being 
wounded,  and  the  transfer  of  General  Brown  to  Sackett's  Har- 
bour, and  of  General  Miller  to  Boston.  Immediately  after  the 
repulse  of  the  Marquis  of  Tweedale,  General  Izard  directed  its 
return  to  the  garrison,  whence,  as  the  weather  was  about  this 
time  setting  in  extremely  cold,  and  the  season  having  arrived 
when  hostilities  usually  ceased,  it  was  determined  to  transport  it 
to  the  American  shore,  to  supply  the  troops  with  more  comfort- 
able winter  quarters.  The  fort  was  accordingly  destroyed,  and 
all  the  batteries  demolished,  and  after  a  vigorous  and  brilliant 
campaign  of  four  months,  the  Canadian  territory  was  evacuated, 
and  the  army  distributed  in  quarters  at  Buffalo,  Black  Rock, 
and  Batavia.  The  volunteers  and  militia  were  discharged  with 
the  thanks  of  the  government,  and  General  Porter  received 
various  testimonies  of  approbation  and  applause  from  the  state 
to  which  he  belonged,  for  his  constant  display  of  bravery,  and  the 
high  degree  of  discipline  which  he  maintained  in  his  command. 

HILST  these  events  were 
transpiring  between  the  Ame- 
rican army,  and  the  armies 
of  Lieutenant-General  Drum- 
mond  and  Sir  George  Pre- 
vost,  an  expedition  had  been 
fitted  out  in  the  north-western 
country,  under  the  united 
command  of  Commodore  Sinclair,  with  the  fleet  upon  Lake 
Erie,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Croghan,  with  a  detachment  of  ar- 
tillery and  infantry,  to  act  against  the  fort  and  island  of  Michili- 
mackinac.  But  the  expedition  failed,  notwithstanding  the  skill 
and  gallantry  of  the  officers  engaged  in  it ;  and  the  troops  retired 
from  the  island,  after  having  effected  a  landing,  with  the  loss 
of  the  second  officer,  Major  Holmes  of  the  32d  infantry.     The 


.... 


''!:Jr 


'I 


«: 


im 


■1 

i-n 

,    '  r 


4-  I 


420 


EXPEDITION   IN   THE    NORTH-WEST. 


14:'  J, 


enemy,  apprized  of  the  movement,  appeared  in  large  numbers  to 
resist  it,  and  being  protected  by  breastworks,  and  aided  by  a 
body  of  Indians,  exceeding  the  strength  of  Colonel  Croghan's  de- 
tachment, that  intrepid  young  officer  was  compelled  to  withdraw 
his  forces,  and  return  to  the  shipping.  On  his  way  to  the  island 
however,  he  destroyed  the  Fort  St.  Joseph's,  and  the  enemy's 
establishment  at  Sault  St.  Mary's.  The  loss  of  the  detachment  in 
the  expedition  amounted  to  sixty-six  killed,  wounded,  and  missing. 

After  leaving  the  island.  Commodore  Sinclair  stationed  two 
of  his  schooners,  the  Tigress  and  Scorpion,  near  St.  Joseph's 
to  cut  off  all  supplies  for  the  British  garrison  at  Michilimackinac. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  McDowell,  the  commandant  of  that  garrison 
supplied  Lieutenant  Worsley,  of  the  navy,  with  two  hundred 
and  fifty  Indians,  and  a  detachment  of  the  Newfoundland  re- 
giment, with  whom,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  sailors,  he  at- 
tacked the  schooners  on  the  9th  of  September.  After  a  severe 
struggle,  in  which  he  lost  a  very  disproportionate  number  of 
killed  and  wounded,  he  carried  the  vessels,  and  proceeded  with 
them  to  Michilimackinac. 

On  the  22d  of  the  following  month,  Brigadier-General 
McArthur,  having  collected  seven  hundred  and  twenty  effective 
regulars  and  militia,  proceeded  on  a  secret  expedition  along  the 
western  shore  of  Lake  St.  Clair,  and  passed  into  the  Canadian 
territory,  at  the  mouth  of  that  water.  He  penetrated  two  hun- 
dred miles  in  the  enemy's  country,  destroyed  more  than  that 
number  of  muskets,  attacked  a  large  body  of  militia  and  Indians, 
encamped  on  favourable  ground,  made  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  prisoners,  and  dispersed  all  the  detachments  to  be  found  at 
the  Thames,  Oxford,  or  Grand  river.  During  the  march  he 
principally  subsisted  on  the  enemy,  and  fired  several  of  the 
mills,  from  which  the  British  troops  in  Upper  Canada  were 
supplied  with  food.  Having  gained  intelligence  of  the  evacuation 
of  F(»rt  Erie,  he  abandoned  his  intention  of  proceeding  to  Bur- 
lington Heights,  and  returned  to  Detroit  on  the  17th  of  Novemher. 
By  this  rapid  expedition,  the  enemy's  hostile  intentions  were 
diverted  from  another  quarter,  and  his  means  of  attacking  De- 
troit entirely  crippled ;  the  destruction  of  his  suplies  rendering 
such  an  attempt  altogether  impracticable. 


THE   CREEK   WAR. 


m 


\      'I 


General  Jackion. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

N  the  long  period  which  elapsed  be- 
tween the  Revolution  and  the  war  of 
1812,  British  agents  were  actively 
engaged  in  fomenting  disturbances 
between  the  southern  and  western 
Indians,  and  the  United  States.  Their 
most  indefatigable  ally  was  Tecumseh. 
He  passed  from  station  to  station, 
harangued  all  the  tribes  on  our  borders, 
enumerated  the  wrongs  they  had  sustained  from  the  whites,  and 
painted,  in  glowing  colours,  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from  an 
alliance  with  Great  Britain.  Most  of  the  north-western  Indians 
entered  into  his  views  and  purposes,  but  in  the  south  his  intrigues 
were  attended  with  but  very  partial  success.  The  Choctaws, 
Cherokees,  and  Chickasaws,  remained  friendly  to  our  country 


•  1 1^ » 
^■1     4] 


U  '  '  V'ii 


\.i 


lU 


St,     „ 


422 


EXPEDITION   AGAINST  THE   SEMINOLES. 


IV. 


ii' 


throughout  the  war ;  and  only  a  few  of  the  most  abandoned  and 
vicious  of  the  Creeks  could  be  induced,  at  an  early  period,  to  take 
up  the  tomahawk  against  us. 

In  the  Spring  of  1812,  a  party  of  five  Creeks  massacred  two 
families  on  the  frontier  settlements  of  the  Tennessee  river,  and 
made  their  escape.  Some  other  enormities  were  committed 
about  the  same  time,  and  the  hostility  of  the  Indians  soon  became 
so  decided,  that  the  legislature  of  Tennessee  passed  an  act  for 
the  organization  of  a  large  body  of  volunteers  and  militia.  Hos- 
tilities, however,  did  not  at  that  time  ensue.  The  Creeks  held 
a  convention,  in  which  they  resolved  to  punish  those  who  had 
committed  aggressions,  and  declared  their  desire  to  remain 
friendly  to  the  United  States.  Several  of  the  murderers  were 
executed,  and  addresses  of  the  most  pacific  kind  tendered  to 
Colonel  Hawkins,  United  States  ambassador  to  their  nation. 

About  this  time  .Ji  expedition  was  commenced  by  Colonel 
Newman  of  Georgia,  against  the  Seminole  Indians,  who  were  not 
considered  by  the,  Creeks  as  part  of  their  nation.  The  enter- 
prise was  successful,  the  enemy  being  defeated  in  several  skir- 
mishes, with  the  loss  of  nearly  fifty  warriors. 

The  smallness  of  the  party  engaged  in  this  expedition,  unfitted 
it  for  doing  any  thing  decisive;  and  in  autumn  another  was 
fitted  out,  consisting  of  fifteen  hundred  militia  infantry,  and  six 
hundred  mounted  volunteers.  They  marched  from  West  Ten- 
nessee, for  the  defense  of  the  lower  country,  the  foot  troops  de- 
scending the  river  in  boats,  under  the  command  of  Major-Gene- 
ral  Andrew  Jackson,  whilst  the  mounted  men,  under  Colonel 
Coffee,  marched  by  land  to  Natchez,  where  both  parties  arrived 
and  formed  a  junction  in  February,  1813.  In  the  following 
month  they  were  ordered  home,  and  the  whole  expedition  proved 
a  failure-       u  t 

Meanwhile  another  detachment  of  Tennessee  volunteers, 
under  Colonel  Williams,  marched  towards  the  frontiers  of 
Georgia.  After  reaching  the  St.  Mary's  river,  and  receiving  a 
reinforcement  under  Colonel  Smith,  they  commenced  an  expe- 
.lition  against  the  Seminoles.  Three  battles  were  fought,  in 
which  the  Indians  were  defeated  with  the  loss  of  thirty-eight 
warriors  killed,  and  a  still  larger  number  in  wounded  and  pri* 


INFLUENCE   OF   TEGUMSEH. 


428 


■■iri 


soners.  Their  houses  were  burnt,  all  their  corn  detroyed,  and 
about  four  hundred  horses,  with  an  equal  quantity  of  cattle, 
carried  away.  The  detachment  remained  in  the  country,  nntU 
they  had  destroyed  all  property,  and  utterly  exterminated  the 
Indians. 

The  intrigues  of  Tecumseh  and  his  brother,  the  prophet,  still 
continued  among  the  Creeks,  and  had  a  powerful  effect  with 
their  younger  warriors.  But  those  chiefs  who  had  been  the  most 
active  in  procuring  the  punishment  of  the  renegadoes  in  1812, 
were  at  the  head  of  the  party  which  was  for  peace  in  the  nation, 
and  friendship  with  the  United  States.  In  conjunction  with  these 
chiefs,  Colonel  Hawkins  made  strenuous  but  vain  efforts  to  pre- 
serve peace.  The  greater  part  of  their  tribes  had  accepted  the 
offers  of  Great  Britain,  their  passions  were  roused  against  the 
Americans,  and  nothing  but  war  could  now  satiate  them.  Dis- 
sensions ensued  among  the  Creeks  themselves,  until  the  friendly 
party,  which  was  much  the  weakest,  implored  the  Americans  to 
protect  them,  and  subdue  their  opponents.  - 

Before  the  Americans  had  time  to  respond  to  these  calls,  the 
storm  burst  upon  the  southern  settlements.  About  the  20th  of 
August,  1813,  some  Choctaw  Indians  reported  that  three  parties 
of  Creeks  were  about  making  an  attack  on  Fort  Mimms,  in  the 
Tensaw  settlement,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Alabama,  opposite  Fort 
Stoddart,  on  the  forts  situated  on  the  forks  between  the  Tom- 
bigbee  and  Alabama,  and  on  those  situated  more  immediately  on 
the  Tombigbee.  Fort  Mimms,  the  principal  object  of  attack, 
contained  about  four  hundred  people,  including  one  hundred 
and  thirty  militia,  together  with  a  large  amount  of  supplies  and 
property.  Unfortunately  the  hostilities  of  the  Creeks  had  been 
so  long  anticipated,  that  the  intelligence  brought  by  the  friendly 
Indians  was  disregarded,  and  by  some  disbelieved.  With  a 
negligence  and  culpability  rarely  equalled  in  the  annals  of  border 
difficulties,  the  commandant  remained  entirely  indifferent  to 
repeated  warnings,  and  subsequently  brought  destruction  upon 
himself  and  the  garrison. 

On  the  morning  of  the  attack,  a  large  party  of  the  enemy  had 
approached  through  an  open  field,  to  within  thirty  paces  of  the 
gate,  before  they  were  discovered.    A  sentinel  then  gare  the 


424 


MASSACRE    AT    FORT    MIMM8. 


Mi. 


W' 

m 


UN' 


I .  ijj.  rt' w 


alarm,  but  before  the  gate,  which  was  wide  open,  could  be 
closed,  the  Indians  raised  the  war-whoop,  and  rushed  through. 
Major  Bearsley  was  immediately  shot  through  the  body.  The 
fort  was  defended  by  a  double  breastwork,  so  that,  although  the 
Indians  had  entered  the  gate,  they  still  found  another  wall  before 
them.  This  protracted  the  conflict  for  several  hours.  The 
savages  fired  from  their  positions  upon  the  inner  fort,  whilst  the 
garrison  kept  the  port^-holes,  and  maintained  a  fierce  conflict 
with  the  Indians.  At  last  the  enemy  succeeded  in  firing  a 
block-house,  which  stood  near  the  pickets,  and  from  that  the 
flames  were  communicated  to  the  other  buildings.  Despair  now 
seized  the  stoutest  hearts ;  destruction  by  fire  or  the  tomahawk 
was  inevitable ;  and  the  screams  of  women,  the  agonizing  cry  of 
men,  the  crackling  and  tossing  of  flames,  and  the  yells  of  In- 
dians, were  terrible.  As  their  only  chance  of  life,  the  garrison 
banded  together,  and  rushed  through  the  ranks  of  the  enemy. 
Man  after  man  fell  beneath  the  tomahawk  until  but  about 
twenty  escaped.  Then  the  savages,  like  an  army  of  demons, 
poured  over  the  walls  upon  the  weak  and  helpless.  Children 
were  dashed  against  the  ground,  and  women  scalped  and  mur- 
dered. The  remainder  took  refdge  in  the  principal  dwelling- 
house.  This  was  fired,  and  the  dying  wail  of  the  mother  and 
infant,  the  friend  and  relation,  rose  up  with  the  roarings  of  the 
conflagration.  Little  by  little,  that  awful  sound  grew  weaker, 
then  all  was  still.  Three  hundred  and  fifty  persons  had  been 
hurried  into  eternity  in  a  few  hours,  while  their  mangled  bodies 
were  strewed  around,  still  throbbing  with  the  remnants  of  life, 
or  blackened  and  crusted  by  fire. 

Meanwhile  preparations  for  marching  into  the  Creek  country 
were  actively  proceeding  in  Georgia  and  Tennessee.  About 
the  middle  of  September,  more  than  three  thousand  militia, 
under  General  Floyd,  entered  the  Creek  country  from  the  former 
stat« ;  and  soon  after  a  still  larger  army  arrived  from  Tennessee, 
in  two  divisions,  one  commanded  by  Major-General  John  Cocke, 
the  other  by  General  Jackson.  The  legislature  of  Tennessee 
also  passed  a  law  authorizing  the  governor  to  detach  a  corps  of 
thirty-five  hundred  men  to  the  scene  of  action ;  and  under  the 
authority  of  the  Mississippi  territory,  fifteen  hundred  men  uatler 


JACKSON    ENCAMPS    AT    TEN    ISLANDS.  426 


i  ,         ■     .  The  Prophet,  (Brother  of  Tecumseh.)  ^ 

BrigadicT-General  Flourney  were  collected  at  Fort  Stoddart. 
The  Choctaw  Indians  also  declared  war  against  the  Creeks,  and 
tendered  their  services  to  co-operate  with  the  Americans  in  the 
ensuing  campaign. 

Early  in  November,  General  Jackson  had  arrived,  and  en- 
camped with  his  army  at  a  place  called  the  Ten  Islands,  on  the 
Coosa  river.  From  this  place  he  despatched  General  Coflfee 
mth  nine  hundred  men  to  destroy  the  Tallushatchee  towns,  about 
eight  miles  distant,  where  he  had  been  informed  that  there  was 
a  body  of  hostile  Creeks.  On  the  3d,  the  general  arrived  within 
two  miles  of  the  principal  town,  where  he  divided  his  command 
into  two  columns,  the  cavalry  on  the  right,  under  Colonel  All- 
corn,  and  Colonel  Cannon  with  his  mounted  riflemen  on  the  left. 
The  former  were  ordered  to  cross  a  creek  in  their  front,  and 
marching  upon  the  right  of  the  town,  encircle  it  on  that  side ; 
while  the  latter  were  to  perform  a  similar  movement  on  the  left, 
until  the  two  columns  joined  from  opposite  sides  of  the  town, 
which  would  thus  be  completely  inclosed.  This  plan  was  cor- 
rectly executed,  and  the  troops  succeeded  in  gaining  their  posi- 
tions without  suifering  any  loss.  Captain  Hammond  was  then 
sent  toward  the  town  to  draw  the  Indians  if  possible  from  their 


Sirs 


M 


ftM 


W'v 


I: 


136 


JACKSON    MARCHES    TO    TALLADEGA. 


shelter.  This  stratagem  had  the  desired  effect.  As  soon  as  the 
captain  had  shown  his  detachment,  and  given  the  savages  a  dis- 
tant  fire,  they  rushed  out  against  him  in  a  furious  manner.  He 
then  gradually  retreated,  drawing  the  enemy  after  him  until  they 
came  within  range  of  the  right  column,  when  they  were  charged 
and  driven  back.  For  the  first  time,  the  Indians  now  perceived 
the  trap  wliich  had  been  laid  for  them, — that  they  were  com- 
pletely surrounded  with  overpowering  numbers,  and  cut  off  from 
all  possibility  of  retreat.  "  They  made  all  the  resistance,"  says 
General  Coffee,  "  that  an  overpowered  soldier  could  do, — they 
fought  as  long  as  one  existed — but  their  destruction  was  very 
soon  completed.  Our  men  rushed  up  to  the  doors  of  their  houses 
and  in  a  few  minutes  killed  the  last  warrior.  The  Indians  met 
death  with  all  its  horrors,  Avithout  shrinking — not  one  asked  to 
be  spared,  but  fought  as  long  as  they  could  stand  or  sit.  In 
consequence  of  their  flying  to  their  houses,  and  mixing  with 
their  families,  our  men  in  killing  the  males,  without  intention 
killed  and  wounded  a  few  of  the  squaws  and  children,  which 
was  regretted  by  every  officer  and  soldier  of  the  detachment, 
but  which  could  not  be  avoided." 

The  Indian  force  in  this  battle,  amounting  to  about  two  hun- 
dred, were  utterly  annihilated — not  one  escaping  to  report  the 
news  of  so  signal  a  defeat.  About  eighty-four  squaws  and 
children  were  taken  prisoners,  many  of  them  wounded.  The 
Americans  lost  five  killed,  and  forty-one  wounded. 

On  the  7th  of  November,  a  friendly  Indian  informed  Genera] 
Jackson,  that  a  large  number  of  hostile  Creeks  were  encamped 
near  Talladega,  which  was  hourly  waiting  an  attack.  This 
place  was  thirty  miles  from  the  general's  position,  and  yet  he 
set  out  that  night,  and  arrived  before  the  following  morning 
within  six  miles  of  the  fort.  At  sunrise  he  was  within  half  a 
mile  of  the  enemy's  encampment,  and  proceeded  to  form  the 
order  of  battle.  The  infantry  were  disposed  in  three  lines,  hav- 
ing the  militia  on  the  lefl  and  the  volunteers  on  the  right.  The 
cavalr}^  forming  the  extreme  wings,  were  thrown  forward  in  a 
curve,  with  instructions  to  keep  the  rear  of  tlieir  columns  con- 
nected with  the  flanks  of  their  infantry,  so  as  to  encircle  and 
destroy  the  whole  tbrce  of  the  enemy. 


BATTLE    OF    TALLADEGA. 


42? 


3  soon  as  the 


N  this  order  the  main  body  advanced  slowly  to- 
ward the  Indians,  while  the  advance  pushed  for- 
ward and  engaged  them.  Believing  the  attack- 
ing force  to  be  the  entire  army,  the  savages 
charged  them  with  fury,  and  continued  a  pursuit, 
until  they  were  drawn  within  range  of  the  ad- 
vancing force.  At  this  time,  a  few  companies 
of  militia  were  struck  with  fear,  and  commenced 
a  disorderly  retreat.  The  action  then  com- 
menced along  the  whole  line,  and  for  some  time  was  maintained 
with  great  spirit.  But  the  disproportion  of  force  was  too  great, 
and  the  fire  of  the  Americans  too  heavy,  to  afford  the  Indians 
anv  chance  of  success.  They  were  compelled  to  retreat,  and 
were  chased  with  great  animation  for  more  than  three  miles. 
After  the  action,  two  hundred  and  ninety  dead  Indians  were 
found  upon  the  ground,  and  many  more  had  been  carried  away 
by  the  survivors.  Jaclcson's  loss  was  fifteen  killed,  and  about 
the  oame  number  wounded.    ' 

Three  days  after  this  affair,  November  11th,  General  Cocke 
despatched  Brigadier-General  White  with  a  considerable  force, 
affainst  the  Hillabee  settlements.     He  was  obliged  to  march  one 
hundred  miles  through  a  very  rough  country,  part  of  which 
had  till  recently  been  in  full  possession  of  the  enemy.     On  the 
route  he  burned  two  of  their  towns,  and  captured  a  third.   Having 
arrived  within  six  miles  of  the  Hillabee  towns,  November  17th, 
where  the  Indians  were  stationed,  he  halted,  arranged  his  order 
of  battle,  and  despatched  a  body  of  troops  with  instructions  to 
surround  the  town  before  day,  and  attack  it  at  early  dawn.   The 
darkness  of  the  night  prevented  their  arrival  before  daylight,  yet 
so  completely  were  the  Creeks  surprised,  that  every  warrior  was 
killed  or  captured,  without  having  time  to  offer  the  least  resist- 
ance.   About  sixty  were  killed,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  men, 
women,  and  children  captured.    General  White  arrived  with  the 
mounted  reserve  in  time  to  have  decided  or  improved  the  vic- 
tory, had  the  resistance  or  flight  of  the  enemy  rendered  his  co- 
operation necessary. 
About  ten  days  after  this  battle  a  fourth  victory  was  obtained 

over  the  Creeks  by  the  Georgia  troops,  under  General  Flovd. 
104 


^mi 


i  h 


J I      m  W 

lL3i 


H ;  I  i 


428 


BATTLE    OF    AUTOSSEE. 


I  I 


i»3 


il. 


This  officer  marched  against  the  town  of  Autosseo,  on  the  Tallu- 
poosa,  with  about  nine  hundred  and  fifty  militia,  and  four  hun. 
dred  friendly  Indians.  His  plan  was  completely  to  surround  the 
town,  cut  off  all  retreat  from  the  river,  and  thus  com))el  the  gar. 
rison  to  surrender.  The  difficulty  of  crossing  the  Tallapoosa 
disconcerted  part  of  this  plan,  and  it  was  soon  ascertained  that 
beside  the  fort,  which  formed  the  original  object  of  attack,  the 
Indians  possessed  another,  about  five  hundred  yards  down  the 
river.  Part  of  the  troops  were  detached  against  this  lower  town, 
while  the  friendly  Indians  were  sent  over  the  creek  to  preveni 
a  retreat  up  the  river.  A  vigorous  attack  then  commenced 
against  the  upper  town,  and  a  contest  ensued  which  was  cha- 
racterized  by  that  fierce  obstinacy  ever  shown  by  the  red  man 
when  fighting  an  enemy  from  a  sheltered  position.  By  nine 
o'clock,  however,  both  forts  were  carried,  the  enemy  driven  from 
them  in  all  directions,  and  the  buildings  set  on  fire. 

I  HE  loss  of  the  enemy  in  this  action, 
though  never  correctly  ascertained, 
was  believed  to  have  reached  two 
hundred  The  Americans  had  eleven 
killed,  and  fifty-four  wounded,  amcnf 
the  latter  General  Floyd  severely, 
and  his  adjutant-general,  Newman, 
slightly. 
As  there  were  many  other  populous 
towns  in  this  vicinity,  which  could  send  into  the  field  a  large 
number  of  warriors.  General  Floyd  considered  it  inexjiedient  to 
pursue  his  victory,  and  accordingly  retired  to  his  former  posi- 
tion on  the  Chatahoochee. 

In  December,  General  Claiborne,  with  a  force  of  regulars, 
militia,  volunteers,  and  Choctaw  Indians,  marched  up  the  Ala^ 
bama  river,  to  a  new  fort  constructed  by  Weatherford,  who  had 
led  the  massacre  at  Fort  Mimms.  Apprized  of  his  approach, 
the  enemy  secreted  their  squaws  and  children  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river,  and  prepared  for  battle.  As  the  Americans 
advanced,  they  were  attacked  on  the  left  column,  composed  of 
volunteers,  but  after  a  spirited  struggle,  succeeded  in  driving  off 
their  assailants,  who  fled  through  thick  swamps  toward  the  rive'' 


I  *■ 


BATTLE   OF   EMUCKFAU. 


429 


The  army  then  entered  the  town,  stripped  it  of  every  thing 
valuable,  and  set  the  houses  on  fire.  Thirty  dead  Indians  were 
found  on  the  field;  the  Americans  lost  one  killed  and  six 
wounded. 

About  a  month  after  this  battle,  January  27th,  1814,  a  large 
party  of  warriors  attacked  General  Floyd  at  his  encampment, 
near  the  Chatahoochee.  The  Indians  assaulted  the  camp  with 
go  much  fury,  that  in  a  few  minutes  they  were  within  thirty 
paces  of  the  artillery.  But  after  the  battle  had  become  general, 
their  efforts  grew  desultory  and  ineffectual.  The  artillery  and 
rifle  companies  played  upon  them  with  great  effect,  and  at  day- 
Hght  a  charge  with  the  bayonet  drove  them  back  in  utter  con- 
fusion. General  Floyd  lost  seventeen  killed,  and  one  hundred 
and  thirty  two  wounded ;  the  Indians  left  thirty-seven  bodies 
upon  the  field,  and  a  large  number  of  their  wounded  escaped. 

On  the  17th  of  January,  General  Jackson  broke  up  his  camp 
near  Ten  Islands,  and,  with  a  force  of  nearly  twelve  hundred 
men,  marched  toward  the  Creek  country.  Next  day  he  received 
a  reinforcement  of  three  hundred  Indians,  and  on  the  21st,  was 
near  the  junction  of  the  Tallapoosa  and  Emuckfau  creek,  where 
about  nine  hundred  of  the  enemy  were  concentrated.  Here  he 
formed  his  army  into  a  hollow  square,  and  spent  the  night  in  re- 
connoitering  the  Indian  position. 

UST  at  six  o'clock  on  the  following 
morning,  the  savages  commenc  d  a 
vigorous  attack  on  the  American  left 
flank,  and  maintained  the  assault  un- 
til daylight.  They  were  charged  by 
General  Coffee  and  Colonels  Carroll 
and  Higgins,  completely  routed  at 
every  point,  and  chased  about  two 
miles,  with  great  slaughter.  General 
Coffee  was  then  detached  to  destroy  their  encampment;  but 
while  preparing  to  do  so,  the  right  and  left  of  the  army  were 
again  assaulted,  and  the  battle  recommenced.  A  vigorous 
charge,  conducted  by  Colonels  Carroll  and  Higgins,  repulsed  the 
Indians  with  loss,  and  confirmed  the  victory. 
Instead  of  pursuing  his  victory  by  continuing  his  march  into 


:} 


i1 


Vi 


.    A 


430 


JACKSON   REINFORCED. 


h 


the  Indian  country,  General  Jackson  set  out  on  the  foUowino 
day  for  his  former  camp.  In  crossing  the  Enotichopco  creek 
an  alarm  gun  gave  notice  of  danger,  and  soon  after  an  attack 
began  from  a  party  of  concealed  Indians.  Colonel  Carroll  was 
at  the  head  of  the  centre  column  of  the  rear  guard,  its  right 
column  was  commanded  by  Colonel  Perkins,  and  its  left  by 
Colonel  Stump.  Having  selected  tho  ground  on  which  he  was 
attacked,  Jackson  determined  to  cross  the  creek  above  and 
below  with  his  flank  columns,  fall  upon  the  side  and  rear  of  the 
enemy,  and  cut  them  to  pieces.  This  plan  was  disconcerted  bv 
the  American  rear  guard,  who,  when  fired  upon,  fled  precipi- 
tately  into  the  centre  of  the  army,  carrying  consternation  and 
confusion  into  the  flank  columns,  and  leaving  but  twenty-five 
men  with  Colonel  Carroll,  to  arrest  the  progress  of  the  pursuers. 
Although  this  ill-timed  retreat  threw  the  main  army  into  con- 
fusion, yet  Colonel  Carroll  with  his  handful  of  men,  maintained 
his  post  as  long  as  it  was  possible  to  resist  overwhelminci 
numbers ;  and  being  then  joined  by  Lieutenant  Armstrong  vn.\i 
the  artillery,  and  Captain  Russell,  he  still  continued  the  contest 
with  success.  The  artillery  was  then  opened  upon  the  enemy, 
followed  by  a  vigorous  charge,  which  broke  their  line,  and  drove 
them  from  the  field  in  confusion.  The  general  then  pursued  his 
way  without  further  molestation.  The  loss  of  the  Americans 
during  the  whole  expedition  was  twenty-four  killed  and  seventy- 
one  wounded. 

Soon  after  this  battle,  General  Jackson  received  a  reinforce- 
ment of  two  militia  brigades,  under  Generals  Dougherty  and 
Johnson,  a  regiment  of  regulars,  under  Colonel  Williams,  and 
several  smaller  corps.  This  accession  to  his  force  enabled 
General  Jackson  to  recommence  effective  operations,  and  ac- 
cordingly on  the  27th  of  March,  we  find  him  at  the  Horseshoe 
bend  of  the  Tallapoosa.  Here  the  Indians  were  intrenched  in 
large  numbers.  The  situation  is  remarkably  strong  by  nature, 
and  the  Creeks  had  fortified  it  with  a  degree  of  skill  and  effi- 
ciency rarely  evinced  by  the  untutored  red  man.  Across  the 
neck  of  the  bend,  where  it  opens  toward  the  north,  they  had 
erected  a  breastwork  of  logs  from  five  to  eight  feet  high,  possess- 
ing great  compactness  and  strength,  and  extending  on  both 


\  5 


BATTLE  AT  HORSESHOE  BEND. 


431 


to  the  river.     Through  this  were  cut  two  ranges  of  port- 
holes, suitable  for  the  exercise  of  small  arms.     The  direction  of 
the  wall  was  such  that  an  army  could  not  approach  it  without 
teing  exposed  to  a  cross  fire  from  the  enemy  lying  in  safety 
hehind  it.     The  inclosure  contained  about  eighty  acres  of 
(Tound,  and  in  the  furthest  extremity  of  the  bend  was  a  village 
of  moderate  size.     From  the  breastwork  on  the  neck  a  ridge  of 
hinrh  land  extended  about  half  way  to  the  village,  the  summit  of 
which  was  comparatively  open  ground ;  but  on  its  sides,  and  on 
the  flat  ground  along  the  margin  of  the  river,  there  had  been  a 
heavy  forest,  the  large  trees  of  which  were  now  filled  in  such  a 
manner,  that  every  one  formed  a  breastwork  from  which  the 
Indians  could  in  safety  assail  our  troops  while  crossing  the 
river.  Within  this  fortification,  the  enemy  had  collected  all  their 
warriors  from  six  towns  on  the  Tallapoosa,  numbering  in  all 
about  one  thousand.     Among  them  were  several  of  the  greatest 
'  prophets  and  chiefs  in  the  nation,  and  the  principal  instigators 
of  the  war. 

E LYING  on  the  strength  of  their  posi- 
tion, their  large  force,  and  the  prophetic 
assurance  of  success  which  their  fanatic 
leaders  had  given  them,  they  entertained 
no  doubt  of  repulsing  our  army  with  the 
utmost  ease.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
strength  of  General  Jackson's  army,  and 
the  spirit  which  animated  his  men,  in- 
spired him  with  confidence,  that  he 
would  be  able  to  give  them  a  signal  defeat. 

The  attack  upon  the  breastwork  commenced  about  ten 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  by  General  Coffee,  while  at  the  same  time  a  party 
were  detached  against  the  village  within  the  bend.  The  battle 
raged  for  two  hours,  without  much  execution  on  either  side, 
when  General  Jackson  determined  to  storm  the  fortification. 
Led  on  by  Colonel  Williams  and  Major  Montgomery,  the 
regular  troops  were  soon  in  possession  of  the  outside  of  the 
breastwork,  when  they  were  joined  by  the  militia.  For  a  few 
minutes  an  obstinate  struggle  was  maintained  at  the  port-lioles, 
after  which  our  troops  mounted  over  the  breastwork  and  took 


\\\m 

^  ml 


■  K 


>1 


422 


SUBMISSION   OF  THE    CREEKS. 


„  t 
fr 


Woatberford. 


possession  of  the  opposite  works.  This  decided  the  contest. 
A  dreadful  slaughter  of  the  enemy  ensued  in  every  direction. 
Each  warrior  defended  himself  with  that  bravery  which  despera- 
tion inspires ;  but  overpowered  by  numbers,  and  surrounded  on 
every  side,  they  sunk  down  rapidly  beneath  the  superior  dis- 
cipline of  their  opponents.  Of  those  who  attempted  to  cross  the 
river,  "  not  one  escaped ;  very  few  ever  reached  the  bank,  and 
those  few  were  killed  the  instant  they  landed." 

On  that  disastrous  day,  less  than  one  hundred  ot  the  enemy 
were  able  to  effect  their  escape.  Five  hundred  and  fifty-seven 
dead  bodies  were  counted,  and  at  least  two  hundred  and  fifty 
were  thrown  into  the  river  during  the  action.  Three  hundred 
women  and  children,  with  a  few  warriors  were  taken  prisoners, 
The  total  loss  of  the  Americans  was  forty-nine  killed,  and  one 
hundred  and  fifty-four  wounded.  Among  the  former  was  Major 
Montgomery,  an  able  and  gallant  officer,  whose  death  was  much 
lamented. 

This  battle  effectually  subdued  the  hostile  Creeks,  and  con- 
vinced them  of  the  utter  futility  of  a  further  continuation  of  the 
war.  Weatherford,  and  several  other  chiefs,  delivered  them- 
selves to  General  Jackson,  supplicating  peace  on  any  terms 
which  the  United  States  might  please  to  grant.  The  general 
retired  to  the  Coosa  river,  and  was  soon  after  permitted  to 


TREATY  OF  PEACE  WITH  THE  CREEKS. 


433 


return  home  with  his  troops,  leaving  small  garrisons  on  the 
river  forts. 

During  the  time  while  these  operations  were  going  on,  some 
companies  of  Carolina  militia,  under  General  Pinckney,  had 
entered  the  Creek  country,  to  support  the  United  States  envoy, 
Mr.  Hawkins,  while  negotiating  for  peace.  The  terms  offered  to 
the  Indians  were,  that  our  government  should  retain  as  much 
of  the  conquered  territory  as  would  be  a  just  indemnity  for  the 
expenses  of  the  war,  and  for  the  injuries  and  losses  sustained  by 
our  citizens  and  the  friendly  Creeks ;  that  it  would  reserve  the 
right  of  establishing  such  military  posts,  trading-houses,  and 
roads  in  their  country,  as  might  be  deemed  necessary,  together 
with  the  right  of  navigating  all  their  waters;  and  that  on  their 
part  they  must  surrender  their  prophets  and  other  instigators  of 
the  war,  and  submit  to  such  restrictions  on  their  trade  with  foreign 
nations  as  our  government  might  dictate. 

Thus  within  seven  months  after  the  massacre  at  Fort  Mimms, 
which  may  be  conside;  ^  r»s  the  commencement  of  the  Creek 
war,  the  Indians  wer  )i  apletely  subdued,  and  their  power 
broken  lor  ever. 


i 


m 


to 


66 


V',  'i 


Ov;/ 


I  1 


i 


434 


COMMODORE    BARNEY. 


Bladentburg. 

'      CHAPTER  XXII. 

0«]»tucf  of  SMa^I)ington."-Def(nisr  of  KefD  ^cleans. 

HE  movements  of  the  British 
blockading  squadrons,  on  the 
eastern  coast,  during  the 
summer  of  1814,  have  al- 
ready been  traced  to  the  oc- 
cupation of  Eastport  and 
Castine,  in  the  beginning  of 
September.  In  their  opera- 
tions along  the  shores  of  the 
Chesapeake  bay,  and  the 
southern  coast,  they  have  not  been  follov^^ed  beyond  their  attack 
upon  Hampton  and  Ocracock,  in  the  month  of  June.  At  that 
period,  a  flotilla,  consisting  of  a  cutter,  two  gun-boats,  a  galley, 
and  nine  large  barges,  sailed  from  Baltimore,  under  Commodore 
Barney,  for  the  protection  of  the  inlets  and  harbours  in  the  several 
parts  of  the  bay.  On  the  1st  of  June,  being  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Patuxent,  the  commodore  discovered  two  schooners,  one  of  which 
carried  eighteen  guns,   and  immediately  gave  chase      The 


EXPLOITS    OF    BARNEY. 


435 


schooners  were  joined,  however,  by  a  large  ship,  which  despatched 
numbers  of  barges  to  their  assistance,  and  the  commodore  in 
danger  of  being  cut  off  'from  the  Potomac,  signaled  his  flotilla 
to  sail  up  the  Patuxent.  In  that  river,  he  engaged  the  schconers 
and  the  barges,  and  after  beating  them  off  w  ith  hot  shot,  he  an- 
chored within  three  miles  of  a  seventy-four,  stationed  at  its 
mouth.  In  the  course  of  a  few  days  the  enemy  was  reinforced 
by  a  razee  and  a  sloop  of  war,  and  joining  the  barges  of  these 
vessels  to  those  with  which  they  had  already  engaged  Commo- 
dore Barney,  they  followed  his  flotilla  into  St.  Leonard's  creek, 
two  miles  above  the  mouth  of  which  his  gun-boats  and  barges 
were  formed  in  line  of  battle,  across  the  channel.  From  this 
])oint  the  commodore  engaged  them,  and  seeing  a  disposition  to 
fall  back,  he  immediately  bore  down,  put  them  to  flight,  and 
pursued  them  to  within  a  short  distance  of  their  shipping,  which 
consisted  of  a  ship,  a  brig,  and  two  schooners.  In  the  afternoon 
of  the  10th,  the  enemy  made  another  attempt  upon  the  flotilla, 
with  twenty  barges,  and  the  two  schooners.  The  commodore 
immediately  moved  upon  them,  and  after  a  smart  fire,  drove 
the  barges  down  to  the  eighteen  gun  vessel,  which  in  attempting 
to  beat  out,  was  so  severely  handled  that  her  crew  ran  hei 
aground  and  abandoned  her. 

These  attempts  upon  the  flotilla  were  constantly  repeated, 
and  its  blockade  in  St.  Leonard's  continued  until  the  26th,  on 
the  morning  of  which  day,  a  combined  attack  of  a  corps  of  artil- 
lery, which  had  been  despatched  from  Washington  to  its  assist- 
ance, a  detachment  of  the  marine  corps,  and  the  flotilla  itself, 
was  made  upon  the  whole  squadron,  among  which  were  two 
frigates.  The  action  continued  upwards  of  two  hours,  and  ter- 
minated in  driving  the  enemy  from  his  anchorage.  His  ships 
stood  down  the  river,  and  Commodore  Barney  finding  the  block- 
ade raised,  sailed  out  of  St.  Leonard's,  and  proceeded  up  the 
Patuxent. 

The  British  squadron  at  the  different  stations  in  the  Chesa- 
peake, were  now  every  day  augmented,  by  arrivals  of  transports 
and  ships  of  the  line  from  England.  The  cessation  of  hostili- 
ties, which  had  taken  place  in  Europe,  enabled  the  British 
government  to  send  out  powerful  reinforcements  to  their  fleets 


1 1 


k 


136 


BARNEY    DESTROYS    HIS    FLOTILLA. 


:\\ 


Ifs- 


and  armies  already  on  the  coast,  and  Admiral  Sir  Alexander 
Cochrane  had  been  despatched  with  upwards  of  thirty  sail 
having  on  board  an  army  of  several  thousand  men,  under  Major- 
General  Ross.  This  force  entered  the  Chesapeake  in  the  course 
of  the  summer,  and  between  the  land  and  naval  commanders,  a 
plan  of  attack  upon  Washington,  Alexandria,  and  Baltimore,  was 
soon  after  adopted.  A  few  weeks  before  the  repulse  of  Sir 
George  Prevost  at  Plattsburg,  Admiral  Cochrane  notified  the 
secretary  of  state,  of  his  having  been  called  upon  by  the  gover- 
nor-general,  to  lay  waste  and  destroy  all  such  to^\'^ls  and  districts 
upon  the  coast  as  might  be  found  assailable,  and  that  he  had  in 
consequence  issued  his  orders  to  that  effect  to  all  the  naval  com- 
manders upon  the  station. 

F  this  despatch  was  forwarded 
with  the  honourable  intent  of  ap- 
prizing the  American  government 
of  the  contemplated  attack  upon 
the  capital,  the  object  was  either 
wilfully,  or  through  negligence, 
defeated.  For  previously  to  the 
receipt  of  this  notice  at  the  de- 
partment of  state,  the  enemy 
was  already  ascending,  in  two 
divisions  of  his  fleet,  the  Patuxent  and  the  Potomac.  In  the 
first  of  these  rivers,  his  force  amounted  to  twenty-seven  square 
rigged  vessels,  all  of  which  proceeded  to  Benedict,  the  head  of 
frigate  navigation,  and  landed  about  six  thousand  regulars,  sea- 
men, and  marines. 

Commodore  Barney,  in  obedience  to  the  orders  which  he  had 
received  to  that  effect,  blew  up  and  abandoned  his  flotilla  upon 
the  approach  of  so  powerful  a  force,  and  retreated  to  Notting- 
ham, on  the  22d  of  August,  where,  with  his  seamen  and  marines, 
he  joined  the  United  States  army,  under  Brigadier-General 
Winder.  The  enemy  approached  the  Wood  Yard,  a  position 
twelve  miles  only  from  the  city,  and  at  which  General  Winder's 
forces  were  drawn  up.  These  consisted  of  about  five  thousand 
men,  two  thousand  five  hundred  of  whom  were  from  Baltimore, 
and  offered  battle  to  the  British  troops.  But  General  Ross,  upon 


BATTLE    OF    BLADENSBURO. 


437 


reaching  the  neighbourhood  of  Nottingham,  turned  to  his  right 
and  took  the  road  to  Marlborough,  upon  which  General  Winder 
fell  back  to  Battalion  Old  Fields,  about  eight  miles  from  the 

city. 

The  positions  now  occupied  by  the  two  armies  were  distant 
from  each  other  about  seven  miles ;  and  General  Winder  desir- 
ing to  know  in  what  manner  they  had  encamped,  rode  with 
a  small  escort  to  Marlborough,  and  learned,  from  several 
prisoners  who  were  taken,  tliat  the  Briti'-^i  general  intended  to 
remain  there  until  the  following  C  .  "'ut  noon  of  the  Sf  >u, 
General  Ross  put  his  troops  in  motion,  having  been  previously 
joined  by  Admiral  Cockburu,  and  was  met  by  the  American 
advanced  corps,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott  and  Major  Peter, 
who,  after  exchanging  several  rounds,  fell  back  upon  the  main 
army.  Early  on  the  24th,  the  enemy's  column  resumed  its 
march,  and  reached  Bladensburg,  about  six  miles  from  Wash- 
ington, without  loss.  At  Bladensburg,  General  Stansbury  had 
taken  an  advantageous  position,  and  by  the  greatest  exertion 
General  Winder  was  enabled  to  interpose  his  whole  force  before 
the  enemy,  including  Commodore  Barney's  flotilla  men  and 
marines. 

At  one,  p.  M.,  the  action  commenced.  The  Baltimore  artil- 
lery, under  Captain  Myers  and  Macgruder,  supported  by  Major 
Pinkney's  riflemen,  were  stationed  in  advance,  to  command  the 
pass  of  the  bridge,  and  dealt  out  a  very  destructive  fire.  But 
the  British  column  advanced  upon  them  in  such  superior  force, 
that  they  were  obliged  to  retire.  Upon  seeing  this,  the  right 
and  centre  of  General  Stansbury's  brigade,  immediately  gave 
way,  and  in  a  few  minutes  he  was  deserted  by  his  whole  com- 
mand, except  about  forty  men  of  Colonel  Ragan's  regiment,  and 
Captain  Shower's  company.  The  6th  Baltimore  regiment,  under 
Colonel  Sterret,  stationed  on  the  left  of  General  Stansbury's 
brigade,  maintained  its  ground,  until,  lest  it  should  be  outflanked, 
an  order  was  given  for  its  retreat.  The  reserve,  under  Brigadier- 
General  Smith,  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  with  Commodore 
Barney  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Beall  on  their  right,  still  re- 
mained upon  the  hill,  and  continued  the  contest  after  the  flight 
of  the  Maryland  brigade. 

2ot 


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Matt 

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a    - 

p!>- 

i|'.i 

438 


BATTLE    OF   BLADENSBURG. 


As  the  militia  retired,  the  British  regulars  advanced  upon  the 
main  road,  and  coming  immediately  in  front  of  Commodore 
Barney's  flotilla,  he  opened  an  eighteen-pounder  upon  them, 
which  cleared  the  road,  and  for  a  time  disordered  their  column, 
and  retarded  their  approach.  Two  other  attempts  made  by  the 
enemy  to  pass  the  battery  were  also  repulsed,  and  General  Ross 
marched  a  division  of  his  troops  into  an  open  field,  with  a  deter 
mination  to  flank  the  commodore's  right.  This  attempt  also 
was  frustrated  by  Captain  Miller,  of  the  marines,  with  three 
twelve-pounders,  and  the  men  of  the  flotilla  acting  as  infantry. 
After  being  thus  kept  in  check  about  half  an  hour.  General  Ross 
began  to  outflank  the  right  of  the  battery,  in  large  numbers ;  and 
pushed  about  three  hundred  men  upon  General  Smith's  brigade, 
which,  after  exchanging  a  shot  or  two,  fled  as  precipitately  as 
the  brigade  of  General  Stansbury.  In  the  panic  produced  by 
this  disorderly  retreat,  the  drivers  of  the  ammunition  wagons 
fled  also,  and  Commodore  Barney's  small  command  was  left  to 
contend  against  the  whole  force  of  the  enemy,  with  less  than 
one  complete  round  of  cartridge.  To  add  to  the  general  misfor- 
tune, and  to  increase  the  difficulties  even  of  retiring  with  credit, 
he  had  received  a  severe  wound  in  his  thigh,  and  his  horse  had 
been  killed  under  him — two  of  his  principal  officers  were  killed, 
and  Captain  Miller  and  Sailingmaster  Martin  wounded.  The 
places  of  these  could  be  promptly  supplied  from  the  men  acting 
as  infantry,  but  the  means  of  repulsing  the  enemy  were  expended, 
and  the  British  infantry  and  marines  by  this  time  completely 
in  the  rear  of  the  battery.  Thus  situated,  the  commodore  gave 
orders  for  a  retreat,  and  after  being  carried  a  short  distance  from 
the  scene  of  his  gallantry,  he  fell  exhausted  by  the  loss  of  blood, 
and  was  soon  after  made  prisoner  by  General  Ross  and  Admiral 
Cockburn,  who  put  him  on  his  parole,  and  having  first  removed 
him  to  their  hospital  in  Bladensburg,  ordered  the  immediate 
attendance  of  their  surgeons  to  dress  his  wound. 

Having  thus  obtained  possession  of  the  pass  of  the  bridge, 
over  the  eastern  branch  of  the  Potomac,  the  enemy  marched 
directly  upon  the  capital,  and  immediately  proceeded  to  the  de- 
Btruction  of  all  the  spacious  and  splendid  edifices  by  which  it 
was  adorned.     The  senate  house,  the  representative  hall,  the 


BURNING    OF   WASHINGTON. 


439 


Coiiiniodore  Uarney. 

supreme  court  room,  the  president's  house,  with  all  its  exterior 
and  interior  decorations,  and  the  buildings  containing  the  public 
departments,  were  very  soon  demolished,  and  several  private 
houses  burned  to  the  ground.  The  plunder  of  individual  pro- 
perty was  prohibited,  however,  and  soldiers  transgressing  the 
order  were  severely  punished.  The  principal  vengeance  of 
Admiral  Cockburn,  on  whom,  if  the  safety  of  the  citizens'  dwell- 
ings had  alone  depended,  if  he  is  to  be  judged  by  his  former 
conduct,  they  would  have  rested  on  a  slender  guarantee,  was 
directed  against  the  printing-office  of  the  editor  of  a  newspaper, 
from  whose  press  had  been  issued  frequent  accounts  of  the 
admiral's  depredations  along  the  coast. 


^7 


440      TROPHIES   AND   PUBLIC   DOCUMENTS   SAVED. 

The  navy-yard,  as  well  as  a  new  first  rate  frigate,  and  a  sloop 
of  war,  were  destroyed  by  order  of  government,  upon  the  ap. 
proach  of  *"  _  enemy,  to  prevent  the  immense  public  stores,  muni- 
tions,  and  armaments  deposited  there,  from  falling  into  his  hands. 
The  patent  office  alone,  in  which  were  collected  the  rarest 
specimens  of  the  arts  of  the  country,  escaped  the  insatiable 
vengeance  of  a  foe,  whose  destroying  arm  was  directed  against 
the  most  superb  monuments  of  architectural  skill  and  public 
munificence.  The  public  documents  and  official  records,  the 
flags  and  various  other  trophies  of  the  repeated  triumphs  of  the 
American  arms,  and  the  specie  from  all  the  banks  in  the  district, 
had  previously  been  placed  beyond  the  reach  of  the  cupidity  of 
the  invaders,  and  they  returned  from  an  irruption  which  excited 
the  indignation  of  all  parties  in  the  Union,  and  drew  forth  the 
deprecations  of  the  principal  nations  in  Europe. 

The  president  and  the  heads  of  departments,  all  of  whom  had 
visited  the  rendezvous  of  the  troops  at  Bladensburg  the  day 
before  the  battle,  finding  that  the  force  which  had  been  hastily 
assembled,  did  not  amount  to  the  number  called  for  by  the 
requisitions  upon  the  adjacent  states,  returned  to  the  metropolis 
to  make  arrangements  for  the  augmentation  of  General  Winder's 
army.  This  duty,  which,  in  times  of  less  danger,  required  the 
exercise  of  great  energy,  could  not  be  performed  before  the 
enemy  had  encountered  and  defeated  the  corps  already  collected. 
The  capture  of  these  officers  would  have  caused  at  least  a  tem- 
porary derangement  of  the  government,  and  in  order  that  its 
functions  might  be  resumed  immediately  after  the  departure  of 
the  enemy,  they  retired  from  the  metropolis  upon  his  approach 
General  Winder  had  also  withdrawn  with  the  remnant  of  his 
force  to  Montgomery  courthouse ;  the  citizens  were  incapable  of 
opposing  the  hostile  operations  of  the  British  commanders ;  and 
the  capital  was  therefore  entirely  at  their  mercy. 

That  division  of  the  enemy's  fleet  which  ascended  the  Poto- 
mac, consisting  of  eight  sail,  upon  which  were  mounted  one 
hundred  and  seventy-three  guns,  and  commanded  by  Captain 
Gordon,  was  directed  to  attack  the  city  of  Alexandria.  As  they 
approached  up  the  river,  the  commander  of  Fort  Warhnrton, 
Captain  Dyson,  destroyed  that  garrison,  and  retired  with  his 


:i' 


PLUNDER    OF    ALEXANDRIA. 


441 


artillerists,  and  the  British  squadron  passed  up  to  the  city  with 
out  annoyance  or  impediment.     The  people  of  Alexandria  sur 
rendered  their  town,  and  obtained  a  stipulation  on  the  29th  of  Au 
gust,  from  the  British  commander,  that  their  dwellings  should  noT 
be  entered  or  destroyed.  The  condition  upon  which  this  stipula- 
tion was  made,  required  the  immediate  delivery  to  the  enemy, 
of  all  public  and  private  naval  and  ordnance  stores ;  of  all  the 
shipping,  and  the  furniture  necessary  to  their  equipment,  then 
in  port ;  of  all  the  merchandise  of  every  description,  whether  in 
the  town,  or  removed  from  it  since  the  19th  of  the  month ;  that 
such  merchandise  should  be  put  on  board  the  shipping  at  the 
expense  of  the  owners ;  and  that  all  vessels  which  might  have 
been  sunk  upon  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  should  be  raised  by 
the  merchants  and  delivered  up,  with  all  their  apparatus.  These 
hard  and  ungenerous  conditions  were  complied  with,  and  on  the 
6th  of  September,  Captain  Gordon  moved  off  with  a  fleet  of 
prize  vessels,  which,  as  well  as  his  frigates  and  other  vessels  of 
war,  contained  cargoes  of  booty.     In  descending  the  river  he  was 
warmly  opposed,  and  received  considerable  damage  from  two 
batteries,  at  the  White  House,  and  at  Indian  Head,  under  the 
respective  commands  of  Captains  Porter  and  Perry,  of  the  navy 
—the  former  assisted  by  General  Hungerford's  brigade  of  Vir- 
ginia militia  infantry,  and  Captain   Humphrey's  company  of 
riflemen,  from  Jefferson  county ;  and  the  latter  by  the  brigade  of 
General  Stewart,  and  the  volunteer  companies  of  Major  Peter 
and  Captain  Birch.     The  batteries,  however,  not  being  com- 
pleted, and  mounting  but  a  few  light  pieces,  could  not  prevent 
the  departure  of  the  enemy  with  his  immense  booty,  though 
they  kept  up  an  incessant  fire,  from  the  3d  until  the  6th  of  the 
month,  upon  the  vessels  passing  down  on  each  of  those  days. 
Commodore  Rodgers,  too,  aided  by  Lieutenant  Newcombe  and 
Sailingmaster  Ramage,  made  frequent  attempts  to  destroy  the 
enemy's  shipping,  by  approaching  him  within   the  range  of 
musket  shot,  with  several  small  fire  vessels.     After  the  commu- 
nication of  the  fire,  a  change  of  wind  prevented  these  vessels 
from  getting  in  between  the  British  frigates,  though  they  excited 
much  alarm  among  the  fleet,  whose  men  were  actively  employed 
in  extinguishing  the  flames.     These  respective  forces  were 

66 


i 


i .. 


i  • 


i 


1:1: 


I'  %i' 


m 


Jm^ 


:f, 


440 


DEFENSE    OF   BALTIMORE. 


afterwards  concentrated,  nnd  Commodore  Ilodgers  took  posses- 
sion of  Alexandria,  with  a  determination  to  defend  it,  not  with, 
standint^  its  surrender,  against  another  attempt  of  tlie  enemy, 
whose  licet  was  not  yet  out  of  sight  from  the  nearest  buttery. 

After  the  embarkation  of  the  troops  under  General  Knss, 
whose  loss  at  Bladensburg  nearly  amounted  to  one  thousand 
men,  in  killed,  wounded,  prisoners,  deserters,  and  those  who 
died  of  fatigiio,  Admiral  Cochrane  concentrated  the  various 
detachments  of  his  fleet,  and  made  preparations  for  an  attack 
upon  the  city  of  Baltimore. 

Despatch  vessels  were  forwarded  to  all  parts  of  the  bay,  to  call 
together  the  frigates  stationed  near  the  different  shores,  and 
among  others  the  Menelaus,  commanded  by  Sir  Peter  Parker, 
and  then  lying  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Moor's  fields.  That 
officer  determined  on  an  expedition  against  a  detachment  of 
Maryland  volunteers,  encamped,  under  Colonel  Read,  at  those 
fields,  before  he  obeyed  the  call  of  the  admiral ;  and  for  that  pur- 
pose landed  with  two  hundred  and  thirty  men,  and  made  a  de- 
tour to  surprise  and  cut  it  off.  The  detachment  consisted  of  one 
hundred  and  seventy  men ;  and  its  commander  being  apprized  of 
the  enemy's  motions,  was  fully  prepared  to  receive  him.  Sir  Peter 
advanced  to  a  charge,  and  being  repulsed,  opened  a  fire  Mithin 
pistol-shot,  which  continued  nearly  an  hour.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  his  force  was  driven  back,  with  a  loss  of  seventeen  carried 
off,  and  thirteen  killed  and  three  v^'ounded  left  upon  the  ground. 
Among  the  wounded  was  Sir  Peter,  who  died  immediately  after 
being  put  on  board  the  Menelaus.  Colonel  Read  had  three  men 
slightly  wounded.  The  Menelaus  joined  the  fleet  upon  the  fol- 
lowing  day,  and  sailed  with  it  to  the  mouth  of  the  Pdapsco  on 
the  10th  of  September. 

The  fleet  consisted  of  nearly  forty  sail,  and  the  heaviest  ves- 
sels, ships  of  the  line,  anchored  across  the  channel,  and  com- 
menced the  debarkation  of  the  troops,  intended  for  the  land 
attack  upon  North  Point,  twelve  miles  distant  from  the  city.  By 
the  morning  of  the  12th,  about  eight  thousand  soldiers,  sailors, 
and  marines  were  in  readiness  to  march  upon  the  town,  and  six- 
teen bomb  vessels  and  frigates  proceeded  up  the  river,  and  an- 
chored within  two  miles  and  a  half  of  Fort  McHenry. 


took  pos(ses. 
[1  it,  not  with- 
f  tho  oncmy, 
!st  buttery, 
reiicral  Knss, 
r>ne  thousaiul 
id  those  Avlio 
1  the  various 
for  an  attack 

lie  hny,  to  call 
t  shores,  and 
Peter  Parker, 
fields.  That 
letachmcnt  of 
lead,  at  those 
d  for  that  pur- 
id  made  a  de- 
nsisted  of  one 
ig  apprized  of 
im.  Sir  Peter 
.  a  fire  within 
le  end  of  that 
nteen  carried 
n  the  ground, 
lediately  after 
lad  three  men 
upon  the  fol- 
Pdapsco  on 

heaviest  ves- 
iiel,  and  com- 

for  the  land 
I  the  city.  By 
Idiers,  sailors, 
own,  and  six- 
river,  and  an- 
iry. 


*;ii:'»' 


n« 


■    '  -  '"^ 


Bal 
I 
and 
fore 
des 
and 
Rai 
On 
thoi 
the 
teei 
Cai 
foll( 
tenj 
Lor 
The 
roac 
Th( 
tion 


DEFENSE    OF  BALTIMORE. 


445 


HIS  garrison,  commanded  by  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  G.  Armistead,  of  the  United  Ptntcs 
artillery;  a  battery  at  the  lazaretto,  f o  - 
manded  by  Lieutenant  Rutter,  of  the  llo- 
tilla ;  a  small  work  called  Fort  Covingtoni 
by  Lieutenant  Newcome,  of  the  Guerriere ; 
a  six  gun  battery,  erected  near  it,  by  Lieu- 
tenant Webster,  of  the  flotilla ;  and  linos 
^i  intrenchments  and  breastworks  hastily 
thrown  up  by  the  people  of  Baltimore, 
were  relied  on  for  the  defense  and  protec- 
tion of  the  city. 

At  the  forts  and  batteries,  one  thousand 
nen  were  stationed;  along  the  breast- 
works, about  four  times  that  number — 
and  all  under  command  of  Major-General 
Samuel  Smith,  assisted  by  Brigadier-Ge- 
neral Winder,  of  the  United  States  army, 
and  Brigadier-General  Strieker,  of  the 
Baltimore  brigade. 

In  anticipation  of  the  enemy's  intention  to  land  at  North  Point, 
and  to  meet  and  repulse  his  light  parties,  or  to  engage  his  whole 
force  at  a  distance  from  the  main  works.  General  Strieker  was 
despatched  with  part  of  his  brigade,  and  a  light  corps  of  riflemen 
and  infantry,  from  General  Stansbury's  brigade,  under  Major 
Randal,  and  several  companies  of  the  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 
On  the  evening  of  the  11th,  this  detachment,  amounting  to  three 
thousand  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  effective  men,  reached 
the  meeting-house,  near  the  head  of  Bear  creek,  when  the  volun- 
teer cavalry,  under  Colonel  Biays,  were  sent  three  miles,  and 
Captain  Dyer's  riflemen  cwo  miles,  in  advance.  Early  on  the 
following  morning,  Captain  Montgomery,  with  the  artillery,  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Sterret,  with  the  6th,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Long,  with  the  27th  regiments,  were  sent  some  distance  forward. 
The  artillery  was  planted  in  the  middle  of  the  North  Point 
road,  and  supported  on  each  flank  by  the  two  infantry  regiments 
The  51st  regiment,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Amey,  was  sta- 
tioned a  few  hundred  yards  in  the  rear  of  the  6th ;  the  3^th 

SP 


il 


i  m 


Lf+J  _  I 


446 


DEATH    OF    GENERAL    ROSS. 


\  1 


under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Fowler,  in  the  rear  of  the  27th ;  and 
the  6th  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  McDonald,  drawn  up  as  a  re 
serve,  half  a  mile  in  the  rear  of  the  .whole. 

The  riflemen  were  ordered  to  skirt  a  low  wood,  with  a  large 
sedge  field  in  its  front,  under  cover  of  which,  as  the  cavalry  felj 
back,  to  apprize  General  Strieker  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy, 
they  were  to  annoy  the  British  advance,  and  retire  in  good  order 
upon  the  main  body  of  the  troops.  Soon  after  these  dispositions 
had  been  made,  the  cavalry  came  in  with  the  intelligence  that  the 
enemy's  light  corps  were  rapidly  advancing  along  the  road,  and 
at  the  moment  when  it  was  expected  they  would  be  engaged  by 
the  riflemen,  that  body  was  seen  falling  back  without  havinw 
opposed  them,  under  a  presumption  that  the  enemy  had  landed 
at  Back  river,  in  order  to  cut  off"  their  retreat.  The  general  im- 
mer'iately  pushed  forward  two  companies  from  the  6th  infantry, 
one  hundred  and  fifty  in  number,  under  Captains  Levering  and 
Howard,  and  commanded  by  Major  Heath  of  that  regiment; 
about  seventy  riflemen,  under  Captain  Aisquith ;  the  cavalry, 
and  ten  artillerists,  with  a  four-pounder,  commanded  by  Lieute- 
nant Stiles.  This  detachment  having  proceeded  half  a  mile, 
was  met  by  and  instantly  engaged  the  enemy's  main  body. 

The  situation  of  the  ground,  would  not  admit  of  the  co-opera- 
tion of  the  artillery  and  cavalry ;  and  the  infantry  and  riflemen 
sustained  the  whole  action  with  great  gallantry,  pouring  in  a 
rapid  and  effective  fire  upon  the  British  column,  killing  Major- 
General  Ross,  and  several  other  officers,  and  impeding  the  ad- 
vance of  the  British  army.  Having  performed  the  duty  required 
of  them  by  General  Strieker,  the  whole  detachment,  with  a 
trifling  loss,  fell  back  in  excellent  order  upon  the  American  line. 
The  enemy  then  moved  forward,  under  Colonel  Brooke,  upon 
whom  the  command  had  devolved,  and  at  half  past  two  began  to 
throw  his  rockets  upon  the  left  flank  of  the  militia  brigade. 
Captain  Montgomery  immediately  opened  his  artillery  upon 
him,  and  the  British  played  upon  the  left  and  centre  with  their 
lix-pounders  and  a  howitzer. 

The  cannonade  continued  with  great  vivacity,  until  General 
Strieker  ordered  the  firing  to  cease,  so  as  to  draw  the  enemy 
within  the  range  of  grape  and  canister.     Colonel  Brooke  then 


BATTLE  OF  NORTH  POINT. 


447 


Covered  his  whole  front  with  the  British  light  brigade,  directed 
the  4th  regiment,  by  a  detour,  to  gain  a  lodgment  close  upon 
the  American  left ;  and  formed  a  line  along  General  Strieker's 
front,  with  the  41st  regiment,  the  marines  of  the  fleet,  and  a 
detachment  of  seamen ;  and  placed  the  21st  regiment,  the  2d 
battalion  of  marines,  and  another  detachment  of  seamen,  in 
columns  on  the  main  road,  with  orders  to  press  on  the  American 
riorht,  on  the  first  opportunity.  General  Strieker,  seeing  that  his 
left  flank  would  be  the  main  object  of  attack,  ordered  up  the 
39th  into  line  on  the  27th,  and  detached  two  pieces  of  artillery 
to  the  extreme  left  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Fowler's  command. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Amey  was  also  directed  to  form  the  61st  at 
right  angles,  with  his  right  resting  near  the  left  of  the  39th. 

The  whole  force  of  the  enemy  at  that  moment  pressed  for- 
ward, his  right  column  advancing  upon  the  27th  and  39th, 
and  attacked  those  regiments  with  great  impetuosity.  The  51st, 
which  was  ordered  to  open  upon  the  enemy  in  his  attempt  to 
turn  the  rest  of  the  line,  delivered  a  loose  Are,  immediately  broke, 
(led  precipitately  from  its  ground,  and  in  such  confusion,  that 
every  eflbrt  to  rally  it  proved  ineffectual.  The  2d  battalion  of 
the  39th,  was  thrown  into  disorder,  by  the  flight  of  the  51st,  and 
some  of  its  companies  also  gave  way.  The  remainder  and  the 
1st  battalion  stood  firm.  Thus  abandoned  by  the  retreat  of  the 
51st,  General  Strieker  made  new  arrangements  for  the  reception 
of  the  enemy,  and  opened  a  general  fire  upon  him,  from  the 
right,  left,  and  centre. 

The  artillery  sent  forth  a  destructive  torrent  of  canister 
against  the  British  left  column,  then  attempting  to  gain  the 
cover  of  a  small  log-house,  in  front  of  the  5th  regiment.  Captain 
Sadtler,  with  his  yagers  from  that  regiment,  who  were  posted 
in  the  house,  when  the  British  4th  regiment  was  advancing, 
had,  however,  taken  the  precaution  to  set  fire  to  it,  and  the  in- 
tention of  the  enemy  was  therefore  defeated.  The  6th  regiment 
then  opened  its  fire,  and  the  whole  line  entered  into  an  animated 
contest,  which  continued,  with  a  severe  loss  to  the  enemy,  until 
fifteen  minutes  before  four  o'clock.  At  that  hour,  General 
Strieker,  having  inflicted  as  much  injury  upon  the  invaders  as 
could  possibly  be  expected,  from  a  line  now  but  fourteen  hun- 


I      11 


4: 


M 


V 


H    . 


iit.9 


mi' 


rrT-s..-.: 


448 


BATTLE   OF   NORTH   POINT. 


dred  strong,  against  a  force  amounting,  notwithstanding  its  losses, 
to  at  least  seven  thousand  men,  ordered  his  brigade  to  retire  upon 
the  reserve  regiment ;  an  order  well  executed  by  the  whole  line, 
which  in  a  few  minutes  rallied  upon  Lieutenant-Colonel 
McDonald.  From  the  point  occupied  by  this  regiment,  General 
Strieker,  in  order  to  refresh  his  troops,  and  prepare  them  for  a 
second  movement  of  the  enemy,  retired  to  a  position  half  a  mile 
in  advance  of  the  left  of  Major-General  Smith's  intrenchments, 
Here  he  was  joined  by  General  AVinder,  who,  with  General 
Douglass'  Virginia  brigade,  and  the  United  States  dragoons, 
under  Captain  Bird,  took  post  upon  his  left. 

Whilst  all  these  movements  were  in  operation,  General  Smith 
was  actively  engaged  in  manning  the  trenches  and  batteries  with 
Generals  Stansbury's  and  Foreman's  brigades,  a  detachment  of 
seamen  and  marines,  under  Commodore  Rodgers,  Colonels  Co- 
bean  and  Finly's  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  Colonel  Harris's 
Baltimore  artillery,  and  the  marine  artillery,  under  Captain 
Stiles.  Colonel  Brooke  did  not  advance  with  his  columns  fur- 
ther than  the  grounu  on  which  General  Strieker  had  been  pre- 
viously formed,  where  he  remained  during  the  night  of  the  12th. 
Early  on  the  following  morning,  he  received  a  communication 
from  Admiral  Cochrane,  that  the  frigates,  bomb  ships,  and  flo- 
tilla of  barges,  would  take  their  stations,  to  bombard  the  town 
and  fort,  in  the  course  of  the  morning.  At  daybreak  of  the  13th, 
the  land  forces,  therefore,  again  moved  forward  and  occupied  a 
position  two  miles  eastward  of  the  intrenchments. 

The  day  was  cliiefly  employed  in  manoeuvering  by  both  par- 
ties. Colonel  Brooke  frequently  attempting  to  make  a  detour 
through  the  country,  to  the  Harford  and  York  roads ;  and  Ge- 
nerals Winder  and  Strieker  adapting  their  movements  to  those 
of  the  enemy,  the  better  to  frustrate  his  designs.  At  noon  the 
British  columns  were  concentrated  directly  in  front  of  the  Ame- 
rican line,  and  Colonel  Brooke  advanced  to  within  a  mile  of  the 
works,  drove  in  the  outposts,  and  made  arrangements  for  an 
attack  at  night  Generals  Winder  and  Strieker  were  then  or- 
dered to  station  themselves  an  the  enemy's  right,  and  in  the 
event  of  an  attack  upon  the  breastworks,  to  fall  upon  that  flank 
or  (^n  his  rear 


ling  its  losses, 
to  retire  upon 
tie  whole  line, 
enant-Colonel 
nent,  General 
ire  them  for  a 
on  half  a  mile 
itrenchments, 
with  General 
tes  dragoons, 

General  Smith 
batteries  with 
letachment  of 
,  Colonels  Co- 
lonel Harris's 
nder  Captain 
5  columns  fur- 
had  been  pre- 
ht  of  the  12th. 
ommunication 
ships,  and  flo- 
3ard  the  town 
ak  of  the  13th, 
ad  occupied  a 

y  by  both  par- 
make  a  detour 
3ads ;  and  Ce- 
ments to  those 
At  noon  the 
nt  of  the  Ame- 
1  a  mile  of  the 
ements  for  an 
■  were  then  or- 
ht,  and  in  the 
ipon  that  flank 


I'    ! 


il 


1    <, 


BOMBARDMENT    OF    FORT    MOHENRY. 


451 


The  assault  was  not  made,  however,  and  the  enemy,  probably, 
thinking  he  would  be  outflanked,  and  having  discovered  the 
strength  of  the  defenses,  withdrew  from  his  position  in  the 
course  of  the  night,  and  re-embarked  his  troops  in  the  evening 
of  the  14th.  His  retreat  was  not  discovered  until  break  of  that 
day,  in  consequence  of  the  darkness  of  the  night ;  and  though  a 
heavy  fall  of  rain  continued  throughout  the  morning.  General 
Winder,  with  his  dragoons,  and  the  Virginia  militia.  Major 
Randal,  with  his  light  corps,  and  the  whole  militia  and  cavalry 
were  sent  in  pursuit.  The  excessive  fatigue  of  the  troops,  all 
of  whom  had  been  three  days  and  nights  under  arms,  in  the 
most  inclement  weather,  prevented  the.*  annoying  the  enemy's 
rear  with  much  effect,  and  they  made  prisoners  of  none  but 
stragglers  from  his  army. 

At  the  moment  when  Colonel  Brooke  advanced  along  the 
Philadelphia  road,  the  frigates  and  bomb  ships  of  the  fleet,  ap- 
proached within  striking  distance  of  the  fort.  Colonel  Armistead 
had  already  disposed  his  force  to  maintain  the  cannonade  with 
vigour;  a  company  of  regular  artillery,  under  Captain  Evans, 
and  another  of  volunteer  artillery,  under  Captain  Nicholson, 
manned  the  bastions  in  the  Star  fort ;  Captains  Bunbury  and 
Addison's  sea  fencibles,  and  Captain  Berry's,  and  Lieutenant 
Pennington's  artillery  were  stationed  at  the  water  batteries ;  and 
about  six  hundred  infantry,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Stewart, 
and  Major  Lane,  were  placed  in  the  outer  ditch,  to  repulse  an 
attempt  to  land.    The  bombardment  commenced. 

Ail  the  batteries  were  immediately  opened  upon  the  enemy, 
but  the  shot  falling  very  far  short  of  his  vessels,  the  firing  ceased 
from  the  fort,  or  was  maintained  only  at  intervals,  to  show  that 
the  garrison  had  not  sunk  under  the  tremendous  showers  of 
rockets  and  shells,  incessantly  thrown  into  the  batteries.  Thus 
si'iiated,  without  the  power  of  retaliating  the  attack  of  the  ene- 
my, Colonel  Armistead  and  his  brave  men  endured  their  mortifi- 
cation with  an  unyielding  spirit,  during  the  whole  bombardment, 
which  continued  until  seven  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  14tli. 

Under  cover  of  the  night,  the  British  commanders  despatched 
a  fleet  of  barges  to  attack  and  storm  Fort  Covington.  Tho  at- 
tempt was  repulsed,  however,  and  the  assailants  retired,  with 


Hwi:   H^^U 

mm 

4(/i 


OPERATIONS    OF    THE    BRITISH. 


an  immense  loss  to  their  bomb  vessels,  and  on  the  morning  of 
Wednesday,  the  whole  stood  down  the  river,  and  rejoined  Ad- 
miral Cochrane's  fleet.  The  loss  in  the  fort  amounted  to  four 
killed,  and  twenty-four  wounded  :  among  the  killed  were  two 
gallant  young  volunteer  officers,  Lieutenants  Clagget  and  Clem. 
The  entire  loss  of  the  enemy  has  not  yet  been  ascertained.  That 
of  the  Americans  on  the  field  of  battle  did  not  fall  short  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty,  which,  being  added  to  the  killed  and  wounded 
in  the  fort,  makes  a  total  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-eight.  The 
invaders  having  thus  retired  from  what  they  called  a  demonstra- 
tion upon  Baltimore,  the  safety  of  the  citizens  was  secured,  and 
the  different  corps  were  relieved  from  further  duty. 

The  plan  of  operations,  however,  which  had  been  adopt^ed  hy 
the  British  cabinet,  to  destroy  and  lay  waste  the  principal  towns 
and  commercial  cities,  assailable  either  by  their  land  or  naval 
forces,  was  not  to  be  abandoned  because  of  this  repulse,  gallant  and 
effective  as  it  was.  The  cities  of  Charleston,  Savannah,  Bal- 
tihiore,  and  Washington,  were  destined  to  be  burnt  and  plun- 
dered ;  and  New  Orleans,  the  great  emporium  of  all  the  wealth 
and  treasure  of  the  western  states,  was  to  be  seized,  and  held  as 
a  colony  of  Great  Britain.  The  failure  of  her  arms,  in  an  assuult 
upon  either  of  these  places,  was  not  to  prevent  an  attack  upon 
another,  no  matter  what  the  slaughter ;  and  the  separate  com- 
manders were  directed  to  concentrate  their  forces,  or  draw  from 
the  Bermudas  such  an  augmentation  as  should  be  ne"  "sary,  and 
in  the  event  of  successive  repulses  upon  other  objects,  to  bend  all 
their  strength  against  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  and  its  defenses 
on  the  Mississippi.  At  the  Bermudas,  a  powerful  and  well  ap- 
pointed fleet  and  army  was  for  this  purpose  collected,  and  their 
arrival  upon  the  southern  coast  daily  anticipated. 

Admiral  Cochrane  had  in  the  mean  time  directed  a  smaller 
squadron  of  vessels,  then  fitting  out  at  Pensacola,  in  the  territory 
of  a  neighbouring  nation  with  whom  the  United  States  were  at 
the  same  moment  at  peace,  for  an  expedition  against  some  of  the 
defenses  by  which  the  entrance  to  New  Orleans  was  protected, 
to  make  the  earliest  preparation  for  an  assault  upon  Fort  Bowyer, 
\  garrison  situated  at  a  point  called  Mobile. 

In  the  early  part  of  September,  this-  squadron,  consisting  of 


LAFITTE. 


463 


two  sloops  of  war  and  two  gun  brigs,  mounting  in  all  ninety 
guns,  and  commanded  by  Captain  Percy,  was  already  on  its  waj 
to  the  intended  attack. 

During  the  summer,  the  British  brig  Orpheus  had  landed  a 
number  of  officers  in  Appalachicola  bay,  who  entered  into  arrange 
merits  with  the  disaffected  Creeks  of  the  southern  states,  by  which 
they  agreed  to  assist  the  enemy  in  their  designs  against  Louis- 
iana. About  the  same  time  Colonel  Nicholls  sailed  from  the  Ber- 
mudas to  Havana,  in  order  to  solicit  the  co-operation  of  the  Spanish 
authorities  at  that  place ;  but  failing  in  this,  he  proceeded  to 
Pensacola,  and  landed,  contrary  to  the  wishes  of  the  captain-gene- 
ral. After  establishing  his  head-quarters,  he  enlisted  and  publicly 
drilled  bands  of  Indians,  clothing  them  in  the  British  uniform. 

Early  in  September,  Nicholls  addressed  a  package  of  letters 
to  the  noted  Lafitte,  at  that  time  leader  of  a  numerous  band 
of  lawless  privateers,  whose  principal  station  was  at  Barataria. 
The  bearer,  Mr.  Lockyer,  enlarged  on  the  subject  of  them,  urging 
Ladtte  to  enter  into  the  service  of  his  Britannic  majesty,  with 
all  those  who  were  under  his  command,  or  over  whom  he  had 
sufficient  influence ;  and  likewise  to  loan  the  British  army  all 
the  armed  vessels  at  Barataria,  to  aid  in  the  intended  attack  on 
the  fort  of  Mobile.  The  captain  insisted  much  on  the  great  ad- 
vantages which  would  thence  result  to  Lafitte  and  his  crews ; 
offered  him  the  rank  of  captain  in  the  British  service,  and  the 
sum  of  thirty  thousand  dollars,  payable  at  his  option,  in  Pensacola 
or  New  Orleans ;  urging  him  not  to  let  slip  an  opportunity  so 
favourable  for  acquiring  fortune  and  consideration.  On  Lafitte's 
requiring  a  few  days  for  reflection.  Captain  Lockyer  observed 
that  no  reflection  could  be  necessary,  respecting  proposals  which 
obviously  precluded  hesitation,  as  he  was  a  Frenchman,  and  of 
course  now  a  friend  to  Great  Britain,  proscribed  by  the  American 
government,  exposed  to  infamy,  and  had  a  brother  at  that  very 
time  loaded  with  irons  in  the  jail  at  New  Orleans.  Every  other 
argument  likely  to  work  on  the  ambition  or  avarice  of  the  priva- 
teer was  used  with  artful  address  by  this  minion  of  British 
authority.  Lafitte,  however,  refused  to  give  a  decisiv3  answer ; 
but  with  a  promptness  that  does  honour  tp  his  patriotism,  he 
hastened  to  forward  a  report  of  his  interview,  together  with  the 


404 


DESCRIPTION    OP    FORT    BOWYER. 


despatches,  to  the  American  authorities  at  New  Orleans.  He 
alsc-  requested  permission  to  enter  the  American  service,  and 
establish  a  military  post  at  Barataria.     This  was  not  granted. 

Disappointed  in  this  affair,  the  British  began  to  concentrate  their 
preparations  at  Pensacole  and  Appalachicola.  In  the  latter  place 
besides  troops,  they  landed  twenty  thousand  stand  of  arms,  with 
ammunition,  blankets,  and  clothing,  to  be  distributed  among  the 
Indians.  They  also  used  every  means  to  detach  the  southern 
slaves  from  their  masters. 

Meanwhile  the  Americans  had  been  organizing  bands  of 
militia,  reinforcing  the  small  regulars  in  New  Orleans  and  other 
stations,  and  adopting  other  measures  of  defense.  One  feeling 
pervaded  the  south — hatred  to  the  ruthless  invaders  who  had 
burned  cities  and  towns,  devastated  districts,  and  committed 
deeds  of  public  wrong,  fit  only  for  ages  of  the  darkest  barbarism. 

As  the  movements  of  the  enemy  left  no  ground  to  doubt  that 
Fort  Bowyer  was  soon  to  be  attacked,  Major  Lawrence,  the  com- 
mandant, made  the  utmost  exertions  to  place  it  in  a  condition  for 
a  vigorous  resistance,  while  the  brave  garrison  ardently  longed 
for  an  opportunity  of  evincing  their  zeal  and  devotedness  for  the 
honour  and  interest  of  their  coTjntry. 

Fort  Bowyer  was  a  redoubt  formed  on  the  sea-side,  by  a  semi- 
circular battery  of  four  hundred  feet  in  development,  flanked 
with  two  curtains  sixty  feet  in  length,  and  joined  to  a  bastion 
whose  capital  line  passes  through  the  centre  of  the  circular  bat- 
tery. The  bastion  is  capable  of  containing  but  two  pieces  of 
artillery.  Inside,  the  fort  is  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet  in 
length,  from  the  summit  of  the  bastion  to  the  parapet  of  the 
circular  battery,  and  two  hundred  feet  for  the  length  of  the  chord 
of  the  arc  described.  The  interior  front  of  the  parapet  was 
formed  of  pine  wood,  which  a  single  shell  could  have  set  on  fire, 
The  fort  was  destitute  of  casements,  even  for  the  sick,  the^  am- 
munition or  provisions.  Beside  these  inconveniences,  the 
whole  work  was  badly  situated,  being  overlooked  by  several 
mounds  of  sand  at  the  distance  of  from  two  to  three  hundred 
yards.  On  the  summit  of  these  it  would  have  been  easy  for  an 
enemy  io  mount  pieces  of  artillery,  so  that  their  plunging  fire 
would  command  the  inside  of  the  fort. 


ATTACK    ON    FORT    BOWYER. 


455 


On  the  12th  of  September,  four  large  vessels  appeared  neai 
Mobile  Point,  and  Major  Lawrence  ordered  the  whole  garrison 
to  enter  the  fort,  and  keep  themselves  in  readiness  for  action. 
From  that  time  each  man  passed  the  night  at  his  post,  and  under 
arms.  The  whole  garrison  numbered  but  one  hundred  and 
thirty  men  including  officers,  with  twenty  pieces  of  cannon, 
several  of  which  were  useless. 

On  the  morning  of  September  12th,  six  hundred  Indians  and 
Spaniards,  and  one  hundred  and  thirty  British  marines,  landed 
some  distance  from  the  fort ;  and  on  the  evening  of  the  same  viay 
two  sloops  of  war,  and  two  brigs  anchored  within  six  miles. 
Parties  reconnoitered  the  works  next  morning,  and  a  few^  shots 
were  fired  upon  them  in  the  afternoon.  Similar  demonstrations 
were  made  on  the  14th.  At  two  o'clock,  on  the  15th,  the  ships 
formed  in  line  of  battle  near  the  fort.  Major  Lawrence  then 
convened  a  council  of  officers,  who  unanimously  resolved,  "  That 
in  case  of  being,  by  imperious  necessity,  compelled  to  surrender, 
(which  could  only  happen  in  the  last  extremity,  on  the  ramparts 
being  entirely  battered  down,  and  the  garrison  almost  wholly 
destroyed,  so  that  any  further  resistance  would  be  evidently 
useless,)  no  capitulation  should  be  agreed  on,  unless  it  had  "  its 
fundamental  article,  that  the  officers  and  privates  should  retain 
their  arms  and  their  private  property,  and  that  on  no  pretext 
should  the  Indians  be  suffered  to  commit  any  outrage  on  their 
persons  and  property;  and,  unless  full  assurance  were  given 
them,  that  they  would  be  treated  as  prisoners  of  war,  according 
to  the  custom  established  among  civilized  nations." 

At  half  past  four,  the  enemy's  four  ships  commenced  the  at- 
tack, which  soon  became  general.  The  British  had  erected  a 
land  battery,  which  also  opened  upon  the  fort,  which  was  soon 
wrapped  in  clouds  of  smoke.  The  flag  of  the  Hermes,  the  ^  rin- 
cipal  vessel,  was  shot  away,  and  for  a  few  minutes,  the  firing  on 
both  sides  ceased.  It  was  soon  renewed,  and  the  Hermes,  losing 
her  anchor,  was  drifted  within  full  range  of  the  fort,  where  she  re- 
mained more  than  fifteen  minutes,  exposed  to  a  fire  that  swept 
almost  every  thing  on  deck.  Abont  this  time  the  American  flag 
was  shot  away,  and  the  enemy's  troops  on  shore  believing  tha* 
the  fort  had  surrendered,  marched  toward  it.    A  volley  of  grape- 


456 


JACKSON    MARCHES    INTO    PENSACOLA. 


shot  soon  undeceived  them,  and  they  hastily  retired  beyond  the 
mounds  of  sand.  The  Hermes  had  now  run  aground,  and  being 
utterly  unmanageable,  she  was  set  on  fire.  The  three  remainincr 
ships,  with  much  difficulty  got  to  sea.  The  garrison  continued 
their  fire  upon  the  Hermes  until  night,  when  she  appeared  in 
fiames,  burning  until  eleven,  at  which  time  the  powder  became 
ignited,  and  she  blew  up  with  a  tremendous  explosion. 

In  this  assault  the  enemy  numbered  thirteen  hundred  ond 
thirty  men,  with  ninety-two  i)iece8  of  artillery ;  while  the  garri- 
son consisted  of  but  one  hundred  and  thirty  men,  with  twenty 
cannon,  several  of  them  unfit  for  use.  The  American  loss  was 
four  killed  and  four  wounded ;  that  of  the  enemy  two  hundred 
and  thirty-two,  of  whom  but  seventy  were  killed. 

This  noble  defense  spread  a  thrill  of  exultation  throughout 
the  south,  and  inspired,  in  no  little  degree,  that  spirit  of  determined 
patriotism,  which  was  soon  to  produce  such  glorious  results. 

On  the  21st,  General  Jackson  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  in- 
habitants of  Louisiana,  in  which,  after  setting  forth  the  perfidious 
conduct  of  the  British  on  the  coast,  and  their  intrigues  with 
Lafitte,  he  implored  their  zealous  assistance  in  repelling  the 
invaders.  A  similar  address  was  published  to  the  free  coloured 
population. 

As  the  expedition  against  Fort  Bowyer  had  sailed  from  Pen- 
sacola.  General  Jackson  determined  to  reduce  that  place,  not- 
withstanding its  belonging  to  a  neutral  nation.  Accordingly  on 
the  6th  of  November,  1814,  he  arrived  before  the  town  with  four 
thousand  men,  and  summoned  it  to  surrender.  His  flag  was 
fired  upon ;  and  on  its  return,  reported  to  the  general  that  both 
Spanish  and  English  colours  were  flying  from  the  walls.  Be- 
lieving that  so  wanton  an  outrage  originated  entirely  from  the 
British,  Jackson  sent  a  letter  to  the  governor,  by  a  prisoner,  de- 
manding a  satisfactory  explanation  of  the  affront.  The  governor 
immediately  despatched  an  officer  vnth  assurances  of  his  having 
had  no  participation  in  the  insult,  adding,  that  if  the  general 
was  pleased  to  renew  the  communication,  he  would  guaranty 
the  messenger  a  proper  reception.  This  was  done,  and  the  fol- 
lowing conditions  were  offered : — To  receive  an  American  garri- 
wn  in  the  forts  St.  Michael  and  Barrancas,  until  the  Sp.inish 


4 

;'?« 


CAPTURE    OF    SPANISH    GARRISONS. 


467 


V 
;'?« 


g^jvjr.'iment  could  procure  a  sufficient  force  to  enable  them  to 
maintain  their  neutrality  against  its  violation  by  the  British,  who 
had  possessed  themselves  of  the  fortresses,  notwithstanding  the 
remonstrance  and  protest  of  the  Spanish  governor.  That  the 
American  forces  should  be  withdrawn,  when  such  a  force  should 
arrive.  These  conditions  having  been  refused,  the  messenger 
declared,  agreably  to  his  instructions,  that  however  painfal  to 
the  general's  feelings,  recourse  would  be  had  to  arms. 

On  the  7th  of  November,  the  American  army  marched  to  the 
attack  in  three  columns.  The  centre  was  composed  of  regular 
infantry,  with  two  pieces  of  artillery,  \inder  Major  Woodruff. 
The  remaining  columns,  with  a  battalion  of  volunteer  dragoons 
from  Mississippi,  marched  in  the  rear.  When  in  sight  of  the 
town,  the  centre  column  was  ordered  to  charge,  which  it  did  in 
the  face  of  a  S])anish  battery,  losing  eleven  men,  but  carrying 
the  guns  at  the  point  oi  tho  bayonet.  The  Spaniards  had  four 
killed  and  six  wounded.  The  governor  now  sent  a  flag  of  truce 
to  the  American  general,  and  hostilities  ceased.  It  was  agreed 
that  the  block-houses  of  the  town.  Barrancas,  and  fort  St.  Michael 
should  receive  an  American  garrison.  But  the  commandant  of 
St.  Michael  refused  to  obey  the  governor's  order,  and  held  pos- 
session of  the  fort.  General  Jackson  offered  him  the  same  pro- 
positions that  had  been  made  the  night  before,  and  half  an  hour 
to  determine.  Then  having  resigned  the  command  to  Major 
Pierce,  with  eight  hundred  men,  and  instructions  to  get  posses- 
sion of  the  fort  before  night,  either  by  negotiation  or  force,  he 
retired  to  his  camp  with  the  remainder  of  the  troops.  During 
the  afternoon  the  St.  Rose  battery,  opposite  Barrancas,  was  blown 
up  by  the  Spaniards ;  and  at  ten  o'clock,  p.  m..  Colonel  Sotto, 
the  commandant  of  St.  Michael,  surrendered  without  opposition. 
The  fort  was  immediately  taken  possession  of  by  the  Americans. 
Public  and  private  property  in  this  station,  and  all  others  of  the 
city,  was  respected  with  a  carefulness  that  excited  the  greatest 
astonishment  and  pleasure  among  the  inhabitants. 

Next  morning  the  Spanish  governor  refused  to  issue  an  order 
for  the  surrender  of  Barrancas,  alleging  that  it  would  be  dis- 
obeyed. As  it  commanded  the  entrance  into  Pensacola  bay,  and 
was  of  the  utmost  importance,  Jackson  determined  on  assaulting 

SQ  M 


m. 


f '  • 


1^ 


■i  ^*    jg 
"■  til 


'M 


idfr  - 


458 


INFLUENCE    OF    GENERAL    JACKSON. 


it  While  preparations  were  making  for  this  purpose,  an 
explosion  was  heard,  and  flames  were  seen  proceeding  from  the 
fort.  The  cause  was  soon  ascertained;  the  British  had  per- 
suaded  the  commandant  to  blow  up  the  works,  and  retire  vo 
Havana,  with  all  his  force,  amounting  to  three  or  four  hundred 
men.  The  object  of  the  expedition  being  accomplished.  General 
Jackson  determined  to  withdraw  the  greater  part  of  his  army 
from  the  Spanish  territory,  and  march  back  to  Mobile  and  New 
Orleans.  He  set  out  on  the  9th,  and  after  stopping  for  some 
days  at  the  former  place,  he  reached  New  Orleans,  December 
2d.  On  the  same  day  he  reviewed  the  battalion  of  uniform 
companies  of  New  Orleans  militia,  commanded  by  Major  Daquin. 
Their  appearance  and  behaviour  aflForded  him  much  satisfaction. 

The  arrival  of  General  Jackson  gave  a  new  complexion  to 
affairs  in  the  city.  Hitherto  all  attempts  to  adopt  measures  of 
defense  had  been  feeble.  The  legislature  had  appointed  a  joint 
committee  of  both  houses,  to  concert  with  the  governor.  Commo- 
dore Patterson,  and  the  military  commandant,  such  measures  as 
might  be  deemed  most  expedient.  But  there  was  no  concentra- 
tion of  power,  nor  even  of  feeling.  The  citizens  distrusted  the 
abilities  of  their  civil  and  military  authorities.  Unprofitable  dis- 
putes increased  the  difficulty.  Credit  was  destroyed ;  the  banks 
had  all  suspended  payment,  and  business  was  utterly  stagnant, 
But  General  Jackson  united  all  parties,  arrested  all  discord,  and 
gave  instant  animation  to  the  measures  of  defense.  On  the 
second  day  after  his  arrival,  the  general  visited  Fort  St.  Philip, 
in  order  to  ascertain  its  condition,  and  to  examine  what  parts  of 
the  river  below  New  Orleans  it  might  be  expedient  to  fortify. 
He  ordered  the  demolition  of  the  wooden  barracks  within  the 
fort,  several  additional  pieces  of  artillery  to  be  mounted  on  the 
rampart,  and  a  thirty-two-pounder,  and  a  mortar  in  the  covered 
way.  He  also  ordered  two  batteries  to  be  constructed,  mounting 
twenty-four-pounders. 

On  the  10th  General  Jackson  wrote  to  the  governor  of  the 
state,  informing  him  that  the  river  banks  could  be  well  defended, 
and  urging  the  expediency  of  requesting  the  planters  to  loan 
their  slaves  for  the  purpose  of  throwing  up  embankments.  He 
stated  the  dangerous  position  of  affairs,  and  the  necessity  of 


1  "  f 


JACKSON    PROCLAIMS    MARTIAL    LAW 


4A0 


immediate  action.  The  governor  and  legislature  coruia'Uy  re- 
Bponded  to  his  views,  and  were  immediately  seconded  by  tho 
inhabitants. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  13th,  six  gun-boats,  under  Lieutenant 
Jones,  who  had  been  sent  out  to  watch  the  movements  of  the 
British  fleet,  encountered  a  number  of  the  enemy's  barges. 
Manoeuvering  took  place  until  after  midnight,  when  the  lieutenant 
was  forced  to  anchor  near  Malheureux  island.  On  the  same 
day  a  tender  was  set  on  fire  to  prevent  its  falling  into  the  hands 
of  the  British.  Early  on  the  14th,  the  enemy  captured  the 
tender  Alligator.  The  whole  British  flotilla  then  attacked  the 
gun-boats,  and  an  action  ensued,  in  which  one  hundred  and 
eighty-two  men,  distributed  in  boats,  fought  three-quarters  of  an 
hour,  with  twelve  hundred  veterans,  in  forty-two  large  barges, 
carrying  nine  and  twelve-pounders,  and  twenty-four-pound 
carronades,  in  all  numbering  forty-three  pieces.  They  hdx  six 
men  killed,  and  thirty-five  wounded.  The  British  had  several 
barges  sunk,  and  lost  more  than  two  hundred  men. 

From  this  time  until  the  21st,  every  precaution  was  taken  to 
provide  against  the  expected  attack.  General  Jackson  armed  all 
his  troops,  reviewed  them  daily,  wrote  by  express  to  Gonerals 
Coffee,  Carrol,  and  Thomas,  to  join  him  with  all  speed,  and  de- 
clared the  city  under  strict  martial  law.  "  All  classes  of  society 
were  animated  with  the  most  ardent  zeal.  The  young,  tlie  old, 
women,  children,  all  breathed  defiance  to  the  enemy.  It  was 
known  that  the  enemy  was  on  our  coast,  within  a  few  hours' 
sail  of  the  city,  with  a  presumed  force  of  between  nine  and  ten 
thousand  men ;  whilst  all  the  forces  we  had  yet  to  oppose  him 
amounted  to  no  more  than  one  thousand  regulars,  and  from  four 
to  five  thousand  militia;  yet  such  was  the  universal  confidence 
inspired  by  the  activity  and  decision  of  the  commander-in-chief, 
ailded  to  the  detestation  in  which  the  enemy  was  held,  and  the 
desire  to  punish  his  audacity,  should  he  presume  to  land,  that 
not  a  single  warehouse  or  shop  was  shut,  nor  were  any  goods  or 
valuable  effects  removed  from  the  city." 

On  the  21st,  twelve  men  were  sent  in  a  boat  to  a  seMlemcnt 

of  Spanish  fishermen,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Bayou  Bionvcnu, 

above  its  entrance  into  Lake  Borgne,  in  order  to  give  notice  of 
108 


v.. 


s 


'l 


460 


REPULSE    OF    THE    BRITISH. 


m^m 


Vf  " 


any  attempt  of  the  enemy  to  penetrate  that  way.  The  fisliermen 
were  in  the  British  service;  and,  on  arriving  at  their  village,  the 
detachment  found  but  one  there,  the  others,  under  pretence  of 
fishing,  having  gone  as  pilots  to  the  British  barges.  The  men 
kept  up  an  incessant  watch  for  the  enemy  until  midnight  of  the 
22d,  when  a  noise  was  heard,  and  each  man  seized  iiis  arms. 
Five  barges  filled  with  men,  and  provided  with  artillery,  were 
soon  perceived.  Seven  men  entered  their  boat,  but  being  per- 
ceived, were  all  captured.  But  four  of  the  whole  detachment 
escaped,  and  three  of  these,  after  numerous  hardships,  were  sub 
sequently  captured.  The  enemy  then  pushed  forward  to  General 
Villery's  plantation,  captured  his  son  and  several  others,  and 
took  possession  of  the  estate. 

Of  the  events  which  followed,  we  have  the  following  account 
from  Eaton's  Life  of  Jackson : 

fAYOU  BIENVENU,  through  which  the 
landing  was  made,  is  an  arm  of  considerable 
width,  stretching  toward  the  Mississippi, 
from  Lake  Borgne,  and  about  fifteen  miles 
south-east  of  New  Orleans.  It  had  been  re- 
ported to  General  Jackson,  on  the  23d,  that, 
on  the  day  before,  several  strange  sail  had 
been  descried  off  Terre  au  Boeuf  To 
ascertain  correctly  the  truth  of  the  statement.  Majors  Tatum 
and  Latour,  topographical  engineers,  had  been  sent  off,  with 
orders  to  proceed  in  that  direction,  aud  learn  if  any  thing  were 
attempting  there.  It  was  toward  noon  of  the  23d,  when  they 
started.  Approaching  General  Villery's  plantation,  and  perceiv 
ing  at  a  distance,  soldiers,  and  persons  fleeing  hastily  away, 
they  at  once  supposed  the  enemy  had  arrived.  What,  how- 
ever, was  but  surmise,  was  presently,  and  on  nearer  observation, 
rendered  certain ;  and  it  was  now  no  longer  a  doubt,  but  that  the 
British  bad  landed,  in  considerable  force,  and  had  actually 
gained,  unobserved,  the  house  of  General  Villery,  on  the  bank 
of  the  Mississippi,  where  they  had  surprised,  and  made  prisoners, 
a  company  of  militia,  there  posted. 

"Major  Tatum,   hastening  back,  announced  his  discovery, 
Preparations  to  act  were  immediately  made  by  General  Jackson. 


J..- 


JACKSON    RESOLVES    TO    GIVE    BATTLE. 


461 


The  signal  guns  were  fired,  and  expresses  sent  forward,  to  con. 
centrate  the  forces ;  resolving,  that  night,  to  meet  the  invaders, 
and  try  his  own  and  their  firmness. 

I  HE  hour  to  test  the  bravery 
of    his    troops     had    now 
arrived.     The  approach  of 
the  enemy,  flushed  with  the 
hofe  of  easy  victory,  was 
announced  to  Jackson,  a  little  after 
one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.     There 
were  too  many  reasons,  assuring  him 
of  the  necessity  of  acting  speedily,  to 
hesitate  a  moment,  on  the  course  proper  to  be  pursued.     Could 
he  assail  them,  and  obtain  even  a  partial  advantage,  it  might  be 
beneficial — it  might  arrest  disaffection — buoy  up  the  despondent 
—determine  the  wavering,  and  bring  within  his  reach  resources 
for  to-morrow,  which  might  wholly  fail,  should  fear  once  take 
possession  of  the  public  mind.     It  M^as  a  moment,  too,  of  all 
others,  most  propitious  to  success.     He  well  knew  the  greater 
part  of  his  troops  were  inured  to  marching  and  fatigue,  while 
those  opposed  to  him  were  just  landed  from  a  long  voyage,  and 
were  as  yet  without  activity,  and  unfitted  for  bodily  exertion. 
Moreover,  a  part  only  might  have  arrived  from  the  shipping, 
while  the  remainder  would  be  certainly  disembarked  as  earlj-  a"? 
possible.    These  circumstances  seemed  to  augment,  in  his  behalf, 
the  chances  of  victory,  if  now  sought;  but  if  deferred,  they  migut, 
in  a  little  time,  disappear.     He  resolved,  at  all  events,  to  m^^^rch, 
and  that  night  give  them  battle.     Generals  Coffee  and   "'anoil 
were  ordered  to  proceed  immediately  from  their  encampment, 
and  join  him  with  all  haste.     Although  four  miles  above,  they 
arrived  in  the  city  in  less  than  two  hours  after  the  order  had  been 
issued.    These  forces,  with  the  7th  and  44th  regiments,  the 
Louisiana  troops,  and  Colonel  Hinds's  dragoons,  constituted  the 
strength  of  his  army,  which  could  be  carried  into  action  against 
an  enemy,  whose  numbers,  at  this  time,  could  only  be  conjectured. 
It  was  thought  advisable  to  leave  Carroll  and  his  division  behind ; 
for  notwithstanding  there  was  no  correct  information  of  the  force 
landed  through  Villery's  canal,  yet  Jackson  feared  that  this 

2(l3 


I'     ' 


^iflii 


% '  I 


r 

if'"'; 


ni'  < 


ill 


V'  li 

i  I 

1 


'€4 . 

1&- 


462 


ALARMS    OF    THE    CITY. 


might  be  only  a  feint  inteuded  to  divert  his  attention,  while,  in 
all  probability,  a  much  stronger  and  more  numerous  division 
having  already  gained  some  point  higher  on  the  lake,  might,  by 
advancing  in  his  absence,  gain  his  rear,  and  succeed  in  their 
vievj^s.  Uncertain  of  their  movements,  it  was  essential  he  should 
be  ]  repared  for  the  worst,  and,  by  different  dispositions  of  his 
troops,  be  ready  to  resist,  in  whatever  quarter  he  might  be 
assailed.  Carroll,  therefore,  at  the  head  of  his  division,  and 
Governor  Claiborne,  with  the  state  militia,  were  directed  to  take 
post  o  1  the  Gentilly  road,  leading  from  Chef  Menteur  to  New 
Orleans,  and  to  defend  it  to  the  last  extremity. 

"  Colonel  Hayne,  with  two  companies  of  riflemen,  and  the 
Mississippi  dragoons,  was  sent  forward  to  reconnoiter  their  camp, 
learn  their  position  and  their  numbers ;  and,  in  the  event  thev 
should  be  found  advancing,  to  harass  and  oppose  them  at  every 
step,  until  the  main  body  should  arrive. 

ji'J,  if  VERY  thing  being  ready,  General  Jaclison 
commenced  his  march,  to  meet  and  fight  the 
veteran  troops  of  England.  An  inconsider- 
able circumstance,  at  this  moment,  evinced 
what  unlimited  confidence  was  reposed  in 
his  skill  and  bravery.  As  his  troops  were 
marching  through  the  city,  his  ears  were 
assailed  with  the  screams  and  cries  of  in- 
numerable females,  who  had  collected  on  the  way,  and  seemed  to 
apprehend  the  worst  of  consequences.  Feeling  for  their  distresses, 
and  anxious  to  quiet  them,  he  directed  Mr.  Livingston  to  address 
them  in  the  French  language.  *'  Say  to  them,"  said  he,  "  not  to 
be  alarmed :  the  enemy  shall  never  reach  the  city."  It  operated 
like  an  electric  shock.  To  know  that  he  himself  was  not  appre- 
hensive of  a  fatal  result,  inspired  them  with  altered  feelmgs ;  sor- 
row was  ended,  and  their  grief  converted  into  hope  and  ccnfidence. 
"  The  general  arrived  in  view  of  the  enemy,  a  littlo  before 
dark.  Having  previously  ascertained  from  Colonel  Hayne  their 
position,  and  that  their  strength  was  about  two  thousand  men,* 

•  This  opinion,  as  it  afterwards  appeared,  was  inconect.  Their  number,  at  the  corn- 
mencement  of  the  action,  was  three  thousand,  which  was  shortly  afterwards  increased 
kf  additional  forces. 


eneral  Jaclvson 


MODE    OF    ATTACK. 


4g;j 


he  inimediatel}'"  concerted  the  mode  of  attack,  and  hastened  tu 
execute  it.  Commodore  Patterson,  commanding  the  naval  forces, 
with  Captain  Henly  on  board  the  Caroline,  had  been  directed  to 
drop  down,  anchor  in  front  of  their  line,  and  open  upon  them 
from  the  guns  of  the  schooner ;  which  being  the  signal  for 
attack,  was  to  be  waged  simultaneously  on  all  sides.  The  fires 
from  their  camp  disclosed  their  position,  and  showsd  their  en- 
campment, formed  with  their  left  resting  on  the  river,  and  ex- 
tending at  right  angles  into  the  open  field.  General  Coffee, 
with  his  brigade,  Colonel  Hinds's  dragoons,  and  Captain  Seal's 
company  of  riflemen,  was  ordered  to  oblique  to  the  left,  and,  by 
a  circuitous  route,  avoid  their  pickets,  and  endeavour  to  turn 
their  right  wing ;  having  succeeded  in  this,  to  form  his  line, 
and  press  the  enemy  towards  the  river,  where  they  would  be  ex- 
posed more  completely  to  the  fire  of  the  Caroline.  The  rest  of 
the  troops,  consisting  of  the  regulars,  Plauche's  city  volunteers, 
Daquin's  coloured  troops,  the  artillery  under  Lieutenant  Spoots, 
supported  by  a  company  of  marines,  commanded  by  Colonel 
McKee,  advanced  along  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  and  were 
commanded  by  Jackson  in  person. 

•'  General  Coffee  had  advanced  beyond  their  pickets,  next  the 
swamp,  and  nearly  reached  the  point  to  which  he  was  ordered, 
when  a  broadside  from  the  Caroline  announced  the  battle  begun. 
Patterson  had  proceeded  slowly,  giving  time,  as  he  believed,  for 
the  execution  of  those  arrangements  contemplated  on  the  shore. 
So  sanguine  had  the  British  been  in  the  belief  that  they  would 
be  kindly  received,  and  ^ltle  opposition  attempted,  that  the 
Caroline  floated  by  the  sentinels,  and  anchored  before  their  camp, 
without  any  kind  of  molestation.  On  passing  the  front  picket, 
she  was  hailed  in  a  low  voice,  but  returning  no  answer,  na 
further  question  was  made.  This,  added  to  some  other  attend 
ant  circumstances,  confirmed  the  opinion  that  they  believed  her 
a  vessel  laden  with  provisions,  which  had  been  sent  out  from 
New  Orleans,  and  vv^as  intended  for  them.  Having  reached 
what,  from  their  fires,  appeared  to  be  the  centre  of  their  encamp- 
ment, her  anchors  were  cast,  and  her  character  and  business  dis- 
closed from  her  guns.  So  unexpected  an  attack  produced  a 
momentary  confusion ;  but,  recovering,  they  answered  her  bv  a 


I" 

I  >  -  I  f 


n 


w 


464 


BATTLE    OF    23d    OF    DECEMBER. 


K1 
r  « 


,  t'l>''  H  • 


W 


Ij     '     ■!     'I     ft» 


.    '      '    "J 
'.  'it-         ■ 


discharg*^  of  musketry,  and  flight  of  congreve  rockets,  which 
passed  without  injury,  while  her  grape  and  canister  were  pourin« 
destructively  on  them.  To  take  away  the  certainty  of  aim  af- 
forded  by  the  light  of  their  fires,  these  were  immediately  ex. 
tinguished,  and  they  retired  two  or  three  hundred  yards  into  the 
open  field,  if  not  out  of  the  reach  of  the  cannon,  at  least  to  a 
distance,  where,  by  the  darkness  of  the  night,  th  jy  would  be 
protected. 

OFFEE  had  dismounted  his 
men,  and  turned  his  horses 
loose,  at  a  large  ditch,  next  the 
swamp,  in  the  rear  of  Lorond's 
plantation,  and  gained,  as  he 
believed,  the  centre  of  the  enemy's  line, 
when  the  signal  from  the  Caroline 
reached  him.  He  directly  wheeled  his 
columns  in,  and,  extending  his  line 
"^^^  parallel  with  the  river,  moved  towards 
their  camp.  He  had  scarcely  advanced  more  than  a  hundred 
yards,  when  he  received  a  heavy  fire,  from  a  line  formed  in  his 
front :  this,  to  him,  was  an  unexpected  circumstance,  as  he  sup- 
posed the  enemy  Ijmg  principally  at  a  distance,  and  that  the  only 
opposition  he  should  meet,  until  he  approached  towards  the 
levee,*  would  be  from  their  advanced  guards.  The  circumstance 
of  his  coming  up  with  them  so  soon  was  owing  to  the  severe 
attack  of  the  schooner,  which  had  compelled  them  to  abandon 
their  camp,  and  form  without  her  reach.  The  moon  shone,  but 
reflected  her  light  too  feebly  to  discover  objects  at  a  distance. 
The  only  chance,  therefore,  of  producing  certain  injury,  with 
this  kind  of  force,  which  consisted  chiefly  of  riflemen,  was  not  to 
venture  at  random,  but  only  to  discharge  their  pieces  when  there 
should  be  a  certainty  of  fellii'i!  the  object,  x'his  order  bein? 
given,  the  line  pressed  on,  and,  having  gained  a  position  near 
enough  to  distinguish,  a  general  fire  was  given ;  it  was  too 
severe  and  destructive  to  be  withstood ;  the  enemy  gave  way. 
and  retreated, — rallied, — formed, — were  charged,  and  again  re- 

*  Embankments  formed  along  the  river,  to  confine  it  in  its  b^d. 


m-,^, 


BATTLE    OP    ^QdOT    DECEMBER. 


465 


emy  gave  way, 


treated.     These  gallant  men,  led  by  their  brave  commander, 
urged  fearlessly  on,  and  drove  them  from  every  position  they 
attempted  to  maintain.     Their  general  was  under  no  necessity 
to  encourage  and  allure  them  to  deeds  of  valour :  his  own  example 
was  sufficient  to  excite  them.    Always  in  the  midst,  he  displayed 
a  coolness  and  disregard  of  danger,  calling  to  his  troops,  that 
they  had  often  said  they  could  fight,  now  was  the  time  to  prove  it. 
"The  enrmy,  driven  back  by  the  resolute  firmness  and  ardour 
of  their  assailants,  hud  now  reached  a  grove  of  orange  trees,  with 
a  ditch  runninjT  past  it,  protected  by  a  fence  on  the  margin.     It 
was  a  favourable  position,  promising  security,  and  was  occupied 
with  a  confidence  tlKit  they  could  not  be  forced  to  yield  it. 
Coffee's  dauntless  yeomanry,  strengthened  in  their  hopes  of 
success,  moved  on,  nor  discovered  the  advantages  against  them, 
until  a  fire  from  the  whole  British  line  showed  their  defense. 
A  momentary  check  was  given ;  but,  gathering  fresh  ardour, 
they^  charged  across  the  ditch,  gave  a  deadly  and  destruc'avc  fire, 
an(i  forced  them  to  retire.     Their  retreat  continued,  until,  gain- 
ing a  similar  position,  they  made  another  stand,  and  were  again 
driven  from  it,  with  considerable  loss. 

"Thus  the  battle  raged,  on  the  left  wing,  until  the  British 
reached  the  bank  of  the  river ;  here  a  determined  stand  was 
made,  and  further  encroachments  resisted :  for  half  an  hour  the 
conflict  was  extremely  v'iojont  on  both  sides.  The  American 
troops  could  not  be  driven  from  their  purpose,  nor  the  British 
made  to  yield  their  ground  ;  but  at  length,  having  suffered 
greatly,  the  latter  were  under  the  necessity  of  taking  refuge 
behind  the  levee,  wliich  afl'orded  a  breastwork,  and  protected 
them  from  the  fatal  firo  of  oiir  riflemen.  Coffee,  unacquainted 
with  their  position,  for  the  darkness  had  greatly  increased, 
already  contemplated  again  to  charge  them ;  but  Major  Moulton, 
who  had  discovered  thoir  sitiiation,  assured  him  it  was  too 
hazardous;  that  they  could  bo  driven  no  further,  and  would, 
from  the  point  they  occuj)ie(l,  rcisist  with  the  bayonet,  and  repel, 
with  considerable  loss,  any  attempt  to  dislodge  them.  The  place 
of  their  retirement  was  covered  in  front  by  a  strong  bank,  which 
had  been  extended  into  the  field,  to  keep  out  the  river,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  first  being  encroached  upon,  and  undermined  in 


^-11: 


I  ;,      I? 


r 


If 


468 


BATTLE     OF    23d    OF    DECEMBER. 


several  places :  the  old  one,  however,  was  still  entire,  in  many 
parts,  and  gave  them  security  from  the  broadsides  of  the  schooner 
which  lay  off  at  some  distance.  A  further  apprehension,  lest,  by 
moving  still  nearer  the  river,  he  might  greatly  expose  himself  to 
the  fire  of  the  Caroline,  which  was  yet  spiritedly  maintaining  the 
conflict,  induced  Coffee  to  retire  until  he  could  hear  from  the 
commanding  general,  and  receive  his  further  orders. 

URING  this  time,  the  right  wintr, 
under  Jackson,  was  no  less  prompt 
and  active.  A  detachment  of 
artillery  under  Lieutenant  Spotts, 
supported  by  sixty  marines, 
formed  the  advance,  and  had 
moved  down  the  road,  next  the 
levee.  On  their  left  was  the  7th 
regiment  of  infantry,  led  by 
Major  Piere.  The  44th,  com- 
manded by  Major  Baker,  was 
formed  on  the  extreme  left;  while 
Plauche's  and  Daquin's  battalions  of  city  guards,  were  directed 
to  be  posted  in  the  centre,  between  the  7th  and  44th.  The  gene- 
ral had  ordered  Colonel  Ross,  who,  during  the  night,  acted  in 
the  capacity  of  brigadier-general,  on  hearing  the  signal  from  the 
Caroline,  to  move  off  by  heads  of  companies,  and,  having  reached 
the  enemy's  line,  to  deploy,  and  seek  to  unite  the  left  wing  with 
the  right  of  General  Coffee's.  This  order  was  omitted  to  be  ex- 
ecuted ;  and  the  consequence  was  an  early  introduction  of  con- 
fusion in  the  ranks,  whereby  was  prevented  the  important  design 
of  uniting  the  two  divisions. 

"  Instead  of  marching  in  column  from  the  first  position,  the 
troops  were  wheeled  into  an  extended  line,  and  moved  off  in  this 
order,  except  the  7th  regiment,  next  the  person  of  the  general, 
which  advanced  agreably  to  the  instructions  that  had  been  given. 
Having  sufficient  ground  to  form  on  at  first,  no  inconvenience 
was  at  the  moment  sustained  :  but  this  advantage  presently  fail- 
ing, the  centre  was  compressed,  and  forced  in  the  rear.  The 
nv^er,  from  where  they  were,  gradually  inclined  to  the  left,  and 
diminished  the  space  originally  possessed  :  farther  in,  stood  Lo- 


BATTLE  OF  23d  OP  DECEMBER.        467 

road's  house,  surrounded  by  a  grove  of  clustered  orange  trees  : 
this  pressing  the  left,  and  the  river  the  right  wing  to  the  centre, 
formed  a  curve,  which  threw  the  principal  part  of  Plauche's  and 
paquin's  battalions  without  the  line.  This  might  have  been 
remedied,  but  for  the  briskness  of  the  advance,  and  the  darkness 
of  the  night.  A  heavy  fire  fro  a  behind  a  fence  immediately 
before  tliem,  had  brought  the  enemy  to  view.  Acting  in  obe- 
dience to  their  orders,  not  to  waste  their  ammunition  at  random, 
our  troops  had  pressed  forward  against  the  opposition  in  their 
front,  and  thereby  threw  those  battalions  in  the  rear. 

FOG  rising  from  the  river,  which,  added 
to  the  smoke  from  the  guns,  was  covering 
the  plain, — gradually  diminishing  the 
little  light  shed  by  the  moon,  and  greatly 
increasing  the  darkness  of  the  night :  no 
clue  was  left,  to  tell  how  or  where  the 
g  enemy  were  situated.  There  was  no 
alternative  but  to  move  on,  in  the  direc- 
tion of  their  fire,  which  subjected  the  as- 
sailants to  material  disadvantages.  The  British,  driven  from 
their  first  position,  had  retired  back,  and  occupied  another,  behind 
a  deep  ditch,  that  ran  out  of  the  Mississippi  towards  the  swamp, 
on  the  top  of  which  was  a  high  fence.  Here,  strengthened  by 
increased  numbers,  they  again  opposed  the  approach  of  our 
troops.  Having  waited  until  they  had  come  sufficiently  near  to 
be  discovered,  they  discharged,  from  their  fastnesses,  a  fire  upon 
the  advancing  army.  Instantly  our  battery  was  formed,  and 
poured  destructively  upon  them ;  while  the  infantry,  coming  up, 
aided  in  the  conflict,  which  was  for  some  time  spiritedly  main- 
tained. At  this  moment,  a  brisk  sally  was  made  upon  our  ad- 
vance, when  the  marines,  unequal  to  tho  assault,  were  already 
giving  way.  The  adjutant-general,  and  Colonels  Piatt  and 
Chotard,  with  a  part  of  the  7th,  hastening  to  their  support,  drove 
the  enemy,  and  saved  the  artillery  from  capture.  General 
Jackson,  perceiving  the  advantages  they  derived  from  their 
position,  ordered  their  line  to  be  charged.  It  was  obeyed  with 
cheerfulness,  and  executed  with  promptness.  Pressing  on,  our 
troops  gained  the  ditch,  and,  pouring  across  it  a  well-aimed  fire 


11 

!l  '  ^  ' 


I      ,t 


;  './  i:|i 


r 


if 


mi 


if,    i 


1 


I 


46* 


REPULSE    OF    THE     BRITISH. 


compelled  th'^m  to  retreat,  and  abandon  their  intreiichment. 
The  plain,  on  which  they  were  contending,  was  cut  to  pieces 
by  races  from  the  river,  to  convey  the  water.  They  were,  there- 
fore, ry  soon  enabled  to  take  another  situation,  equally  favoiM- 
able  with  the  one  whence  they  had  just  been  driven,  where  thov 
formed  for  battle,  and,  for  some  time,  gallantly  maintained  tiieni' 
s»  Ives;  but  were  at  length  forced  to  yield  it,  and  retreat. 

"  The  enemy,  discovering  the  firm  and  obstinate  resistance 
made  by  the  right  wing  of  the  American  army,  and  perhaps  [ 
Burning  its  prnicipal  strength  was  posted  on  the  roorl,  formed  tliu 
intention  of  attacking  violently  the  left.  ■  )ijli(iuing  for  this  pur- 
pose, an  attempt*  was  made  to  turn  it.  At  this  moment,  Daquin's 
and  the  battalion  of  city  guards  were  marched  up,  and,  beinir 
formed  on  the  left  of  the  44th,  met  and  repulsed  thom. 

"The  time  of  the  contest  prevented  many  of  those  benefits 
whicl  night  have  been  derived  from  the  artillery.  The  blaze 
of  the  enemy's  musketry  was  the  only  light  by  which  they  could 
judge  of  their  positions,  or  be  capable  of  taking  their  own  to 
advantage ;  yet,  notwithstanding,  it  greatly  annoyed  them,  when- 
ever it  could  be  brougl  d.  to  bear.  Directed  by  Lieutenant  Spotts, 
a  vigilant  and  skilful  officer,  with  men  to  aid  him,  who  locked 
to  noth.ag  ba  i  7ealouii  di'.>rharge  of  their  duty,  it  rendered  the 
most  essential  and  Ji?ipo.tant  services. 

_  HE  enemy  had  been  thrice  assailed 
^^^  and  beaten,  and  made  to  yield  their 
ground  for  nearly  a  mile.  They 
had  now  retired,  and,  if  found,  were 
to  be  again  sought  for  through  the 
dark.  The  general  determined  to 
halt,  and  ascertain  Coffee's  position 
and  success,  previously  to  wa^jing 
the  battle  further,  for  as  yet  no  com- 
munication had  passed  between 
them.  He  entertained  no  doubt,  from  the  brisk  firing  in  that 
direction,  but  that  he  had  been  warmly  engaged ;  but  this  had 
now  nearly  subsided ;  the  Caroline,  too,  had  almost  ceased  her 
operations ;  it  being  only  occasionally  that  the  noise  of  her  guns 
disclosed  the  little  opportunity  she  possessed  of  acting  efficiently 


DETERMINATION    NOT    TO    PURSUE    THE    ENEMY.   469 

"  The  express  despatched  to  General  Jackson,  from  the  left 
wing,  having  reached  him,  he  determined  to  prosecute  the  suc- 
cesjes  ho  had  gained  no  further.  The  darkness  of  the  night— 
the  confusion  into  which  his  own  division  had  been  thrown,  and 
a  similar  one  on  the  part  of  Coffee,  all  pointed  to  the  necessity 
of  retiring  from  the  field,  and  abandoning  the  contest.  The 
bravery  and  firmness  already  displayed  by  his  troops,  had  in- 
duced tiie  belief,  that  by  pressing  on  he  might  capture  the  whole 
British  army :  at  any  rate,  he  considered  it  but  a  game  of  venture 
and  hazard,  which,  if  unsuccessful,  could  not  occ  \sion  -s  own 
defeat.  If,  incompetent  to  its  execution,  superior  v  ibers  or 
superior  discipline  should  compel  him  to  recede  fron,  <  ,  )rt, 
he  well  knew  the  enemy  would  not  have  temerity  '  'i  to 

attempt  pursuit.  The  extreme  darkness — their  entire  ignorai.  e 
of  the  situation  of  the  country,  and  an  apprehension  lest  their 
forces  might  be  greatly  outnumbered,  afforded  him  sufficient 
reasons,  on  which  to  ground  a  belief,  that  although  beaten  from 
his  purpose,  he  would  yet  have  it  in  his  power  to  retire  in  safety  : 
but  on  the  arrival  of  the  express  from  General  Coffee,  learning 
the  strong  position  to  which  the  enemy  had  retired,  and  that  a 
part  of  the  left  wing  had  been  detached,  and  were  in  all  proba- 
bility captured,  he  determined  to  retire  from  the  contest,  nor 
attempt  a  further  prosecution  of  his  successes.  General  Coffee 
was  accordingly  directed  to  withdraw,  and  take  a  position  at 
Lorond's  plantation,  where  the  line  had  been  first  formed  :  and 
thither  the  troops  on  the  right  were  also  ordered  to  be  marched. 

"  The  last  charge  made  by  the  left  wing,  had  separated  from 
the  main  body,  Colonels  Dyer  and  Gibson,  with  two  hundred 
men,  and  Captain  Beal's  company  of  riflemen.  What  might 
be  their  fate — whether  captured,  or  had  effected  their  retreat, 
was  at  this  time  altogether  uncertain ;  be  that  as  it  might.  Cof- 
fee's command  was  thereby  considerably  weakened. 

"  Colonel  Dyer,  who  commanded  the  extreme  left,  on  clearing 
the  grove,  after  the  enemy  had  retired,  was  marching  in  the  di- 
rection he  expected  to  find  General  Coffee ;  he  very  soon  dis- 
covered a  force  in  front,  and  hastened  towards  it.  Arriving  within 
,\  short  distance,  he  was  hailed,  ordered  to  stop,  and  to  report 
to  whom  he  belonged :  Dyer  and  Gibson  advanced,  and  stated 

2R 


\  i  - 


,1      •  ' 


".?►-'  1 


f^^- 


> 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


Iti|2j8     |2.5 
■^  1^    12.2 


l.25|||,.4||,,.6 

< 

6"     

► 

HiotDgraphic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER, NY.  MSSO 

(716)  S72-4S03 


470 


BRITISH    REINFORCED. 


they  were  of  Coffee's  brigade;  by  this  time  they  had  arrived 
within  a  short  distance  of  the  line,  and  perceiving  the  name  of 
their  brigade  was  not  understood,  their  apprehensions  were 
awakened,  lest  it  might  be  a  detachment  of  the  enemy ;  in  this 
opinion  they  were  immediately  confirmed,  and  wheeling  to  return, 
were  fired  upon  and  pursued.  Gibson  had  scarcely  started 
w^hen  he  fell ;  before  he  could  recover,  a  soldier,  quicker  than 
the  rest,  had  reached  him,  and  pinned  him  to  the  ground  with 
his  bayonet ;  fortunately  the  stab  had  but  slightly  wounded  him, 
and  he  was  only  held  by  his  clothes :  thus  pinioned,  and  others 
briskly  advancing,  but  a  moment  was  left  for  deliberation  ;— 
making  a  violent  exertion,  and  springing  on  his  feet,  he  threw 
his  assailant  to  the  ground,  and  made  good  his  retreat.  Colonel 
Dyer  had  retreated  about  fifty  yards,  when  his  horse  dropped 
dead ;  entangled  in  the  fall,  and  slightly  wounded  in  the  thigh, 
there  was  little  prospect  of  relief,  for  the  enemy  were  briskly 
advancing :  his  men  being  near  at  hand,  he  ordered  a  fire,  which 
checking  their  approach,  enabled  him  to  escape.  Being  now  at 
the  head  of  his  command, — ^perceiving  an  enemy  in  the  direc- 
tion he  had  not  expected,  and  uncertain  how  or  where  he  might 
find  General  Coffee,  he  determined  to  seek  him  to  the  right,  and 
moving  on  with  his  little  band,  forced  his  way  through  the  ene- 
my's lines,  with  a  loss  of  sixty-three  of  his  men,  who  were 
killed  and  taken.  Captain  Beal,  with  equal  bravery,  charged 
through  the  enemy,  carrying  off  some  prisoners,  and  losing 
several  of  his  own  company. 

"  This  reinforcement  of  the  British  had  arrived  from  Bayou 
Bienvenu  after  night.  The  boats  that  had  landed  the  first  de- 
tachment, had  proceeded  back  to  the  shipping,  and  having  re- 
turned, were  on  their  way  up  the  bayou,  when  they  heard  the 
guns  of  the  Caroline ;  moving  hastily  on  to  the  assistance  of 
those  who  had  debarked  before  them,  they  reached  the  shore, 
and  knowing  nothing  of  the  situation  of  the  two  armies,  came 
up  in  the  rear  of  General  Coffee's  brigade.  Coming  in  contact 
with  Colonel  Dyer  and  Captain  Beal,  they  filed  oflf  to  the  left, 
and  reached  the  British  camp. 

"  This  part  of  Coffee's  brigade,  unable  to  unite  with,  or  find 
bim,  retired  where  they  had  first  formed,  and  joined  Colonel 


ARRIVAL    OF    CARROLL  S    DIVISION. 


471 


jrs,  and  losing 


i  off  to  the  left, 


Hinds's  dragoons,  which  had  remained  on  the  ground  where  the 
troops  had  first  dismounted,  to  cover  their  retreat,  in  the  event 
it  became  necessary. 

"  Jackson  had  gone  into  this  battle  with  a  confidence  of  suc- 
cess ;  and  his  arrangements  were  such  as  would  have  insured 
it,  even  to  a  much  greater  extent,  but  for  the  intervention  of 
circumstances  that  were  not  and  could  not  be  foreseen.  The 
Caroline  had  given  her  signals,  and  commenced  the  battle  a  little 
too  early,  before  Coffee  had  reached  and  taken  his  position,  and 
before  every  thing  was  fully  in  readiness  to  attain  the  objects 
designed ;  but  it  was  chiefly  owing  to  the  confusion  introduced 
at  first  into  the  ranks,  which  checked  the  rapidity  of  his  advance, 
gave  the  enemy  time  for  preparation,  and  prevented  his  division 
from  uniting  with  the  right  wing  of  General  Coffee's  brigade. 

"  Colonel  Hinds,  with  one  hundred  and  eighty  dragoons,  was 
not  brought  into  action  during  the  night.  Interspersed  as  the 
plain  was  with  innumerable  ditches,  cut  in  different  directions, 
it  was  impossible  that  cavalry  could  act  to  any  kind  of  advan- 
tage :  they  were  now  formed  in  advance,  to  watch,  until  morn- 
ing, the  movements  of  the  enemy. 

*'  From  the  experiment  just  made,  Jackson  believed  it  would 
be  in  his  power  on  renewing  the  attack  to  capture  the  enemy : 
he  concluded,  therefore,  to  call  down  General  Carroll  with  his 
division,  and  assail  him  again  at  the  dawn  of  day.  Directing  Go- 
vernor Claiborne  to  remain  at  his  post,  with  the  Louisiana  militia, 
for  the  defense  of  the  Gentilly  road,  he  despatched  an  order  to 
Carroll,  in  the  event  there  had  been  no  appearance  of  a  force 
during  the  night,  in  the  direction  of  Chef  Menteur,  to  hasten 
and  join  him  with  his  command ;  which  order  was  executed  by 
one  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Previously,  however,  to  his  arrival 
a  diflferont  conclusion  was  taken.  From  prisoners  who  had 
been  brought  in,  and  some  deserters,  it  v/as  ascertained  that  the 
strength  of  the  enemy  during  the  battle  was  four  thousand,  and 
with  the  reinforcements  which  had  reached  them,  after  its  com- 
mencement, it  was  then  not  less  than  six : — at  any  rate,  it  ex- 
ceeded his  own  greatly,  even  after  the  Tennessee  division  should 
be  added.  Although  very  decided  advantages  had  been  ob- 
tained, yet  they  had  been  procured  under  circumstances  that 


I'T* 


-\-. 


!<■; 


Ml 


t  i 


472 


lACKSON    FORMS    HIS    LINE. 


might  be  wholly  lost  in  a  contest  waged  in  open  day,  between 
forces  so  disproportioned,  and  by  undisciplined  troops  against 
veteran  soldiers.  Jackson  well  knew  it  was  incumbent  upon 
him  to  act  a  part  entirely  defensive :  should  the  attempt  to  gain 
and  destroy  the  city  succeed,  numerous  difficulties  would  arise, 
which  might  be  avoided,  so  long  as  he  could  hold  the  enemy  in 
check,  and  halt  him  in  his  designs.  Prompted  by  these  consi- 
derations,— that  it  was  important  to  pursue  a  course  calculated 
to  assure  safety;  and  believing  it  attainable  in  no  way  so  effect- 
ually as  in  occupying  some  point,  and  by  the  strength  he  might 
give  it,  make  up  for  the  inferiority  of  his  numbers ;  he  deter- 
mined to  forbear  all  further  efforts,  until  he  should  more  cer- 
tainly discover  the  views  of  the  enemy,  and  until  the  Kentucky 
troops  should  reach  him,  which  had  not  yet  arrived.  Pursuing 
this  idea,  at  four  o'clock,  having  ordered  Colonel  Hinds  to  occupy 
the  ground  he  was  then  leaving,  and  to  observe  the  enemy 
closely,  he  fell  back,  and  formed  his  line  behind  a  deep  ditch 
that  ran  at  right  angles  horn  the  river.  There  were  two  cir- 
cumstances strongly  recommending  the  importance  of  this  place: 
the  swamp,  which,  from  the  high  lands  at  Baton  Rouge,  skirted 
the  river  at  irregular  distances,  and  was  in  many  places  almost 
impervious,  had  approached  here  within  four  hundred  yards  of 
the  Mississippi,  and  hence,  from  the  narrowness  of  the  pass, 
was  more  easily  to  be  defended ;  added  to  which,  there  was  a 
deep  canal,  whence  the  dirt  being  thrown  on  the  upper  side, 
already  formed  a  tolerable  breastwork.  Behind  this  his  troops 
were  formed,  and  proper  measures  adopted  for  increasing  its 
strength,  with  a  determination  never  to  abandon  it ;  but  there 
to  resist  to  the  last,  and  defend  those  rights  which  were  sought 
to  be  outraged  and  destroyed. 

"  The  soldier  who  has  stood  the  shoe'  f  battle,  and  knows 
what  slight  circumstances  often  prodi*.  decided  advantages, 
will  be  able,  properly,  to  appreciate  the  events  of  this  night. 
Although  the  dreadful  carnage  of  the  8th  of  January,  hereafter 
to  be  told,  was  in  fact  the  finishing  blow,  that  struck  down  the 
towering  hopes  of  those  invaders,  and  put  an  end  to  the  contest; 
)et  in  the  battle  of  the  23d,  is  to  be  found  abundant  cause,  why 
success  resulted  to  our  arms,  and  safety  was  given  to  the  country. 


NUMBER    ENGAGED. 


473 


Tlie  British  had  reached  the  Mississippi  without  the  fire  of  a 
OTin,  and  had  encamped  upon  its  banks,  as  composedly  as  if 
they  had  been  seated  on  their  own  soil,  and  at  a  distance  from 
all  danger.  These  were  circumstances  awakening  a  belief  that 
they  expected  little  opposition,  were  certain  of  success,  and  that 
the  troops  with  whom  they  were  to  contend,  would  scarcely 
venture  to  resist  them :  resting  thus  confidently,  they  would  the  "^^ 
next  day  have  moved  forward,  and  succeeded  in  the  accomplish- 
ment of  their  designs.  Jackson,  convinced  that  an  early  im- 
pression was  essential  to  ultimate  success,  had  resolved  to  assail 
them  at  the  moment  of  their  landing,  and  *  attack  them  in  their 
first  position :'  we  have,  therefore,  seen  him,  with  a  force,  infe- 
rior by  one  half,  to  that  of  the  enemy,  at  an  unexpected  moment, 
break  into  their  camp,  and  with  his  undisciplined  yeomanry, 
drive  before  him  the  pride  of  Europe.  It  was  an  event  that 
could  not  fail  to  destroy  all  previous  theories,  and  establish  a 
conclusion,  our  enemy  had  not  before  formed,  that  they  were 
contending  against  valour  inferior  to  none  they  had  seeii ; — ^before 
which  their  own  bravery  had  not  stood,  nor  their  skill  availed 
them :  it  had  the  effect  of  satisfying  them,  that  the  quantity  and 
kind  of  troops  it  was  in  his  power  to  wield,  must  be  different  from 
what  had  been  represented ;  for,  much  as  they  had  heard  of  the 
courage  of  the  man,  they  could  not  suppose,  that  a  general, 
having  a  country  to  defend,  and  a  reputation  to  preserve,  would 
venture  to  attack,  on  their  own  chosen  ground,  a  greatly  supe- 
rior army,  and  one,  which,  by  the  numerous  victories  achieved, 
had  already  acquired  a  fame  in  arms;  they  were  convinced 
that  his  force  must  greatly  surpass  what  they  had  expected,  and 
be  composed  of  materials  different  from  what  they  had  imagined. 
"The  American  troops,  which  were  actually  engaged,  did  not 
amount  to  two  thousand  men :  they  consisted  of  part  of  ,. 


Coffee's  brigade  and  Captain  Beal's  company, 
The  7th  and  44th  regiments,     -        -        -        - 
Company  of  marines  and  artillery, 
Plauche's  and  Daquin's  battalions,    -        -        - 
And  the  Mississippi  dragoons,  under  Colonel 
Hinds,  not  in  the  action, 


648 
763 

82 
488 

186 


2167 


SbS 


474 


REMARKS   ON  THE   BATTLE. 


which  for  one  hour  maintained  a  severe  conflict  with  a  force  of 
four  or  five  thousand,  and  retired  in  safety  from  the  ground  with 
the  loss  of  but  twenty-four  killed,  one  hundred  and  fifteen 
wounded,  and  seventy-four  made  prisoners;  while  the  killed 
wounded  and  prisoners  of  the  enemy,  were  not  less  than  four 
hundred. 

UR  officers  and  soldiers  executed  every  order  with 
promptness,  and  nobly  sustained  their  country's 
character.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Lauderdale,  of 
Coffee's  brigade,  an  officer  on  whom  every  reli- 
ance was  placed,  fell  at  his  post,  and  at  his  duty: 
he  had  entered  the  service,  and  descended  the 
river,  with  the  volunteers,  under  General  Jackson,  in  the  winter 
of  1812 — passed  through  all  the  hardships  and  difliculties  of 
the  Creek  war,  and  had  ever  manifested  a  readiness  to  act  when 
his  country  needed  his  services.  Young,  brave,  and  skilful,  he 
had  already  afforded  evidences  of  a  capacity,  which  might  in 
future,  have  become  useful ;  his  exemplary  conduct,  both  in  civil 
and  military  life,  acquired  for  him  a  respect,  that  rendered  his  fall 
a  subject  of  general  regret.  Lieutenant  McLelland,  a  valuable 
young  officer,  of  the  7th,  was  also  among  the  number  of  the 
slain. 

"  Coffee's  brigade,  during  the  action,  imitating  the  example  of 
their  commander,  bravely  contended,  and  ably  supported  the 
character  they  had  established.  The  unequal  contest  in  which 
they  were  engaged,  never  occurred  to  them;  nor  for  a  moment 
checked  the  rapidity  of  their  advance.  Had  the  British  known 
they  were  mere  riflemen,  without  bayonets,  a  firm  stand  would 
have  arrested  their  progress,  and  destruction  or  capture  would 
have  been  the  inevitable  consequence;  but  this  circumstance 
being  unknown,  every  charge  they  made  was  crowned  with 
success,  producing  discomfiture,  and  routing  and  driving  supe- 
rior numbers  before  them.  Officers,  from  the  highest  to  inferior 
grades,  discharged  what  had  been  expected  of  them.  Ensign 
Leach,  of  the  7th  regiment,  being  wounded  through  the  body, 
still  remained  at  his  post,  and  in  the  performance  of  his  duty. 
Colonel  Reuben  Kemper,  enterprising  and  self-collected,  amidst 
the  confusion  introduced  on  the  left  wing,  found  himself  at  the 


REMARKS.   ON    THE    BATTLE. 


475 


B  number  of  the 


head  of  a  handful  of  men,  detached  from  the  main  body,  and 
in  the  midst  of  a  party  of  the  enemy  ;  never  did  any  man  better 
exemplify  the  truth  of  the  position,  that  discretion  is  sometimes 
the  better  part  of  valour :  to  attempt  resistance  was  idle,  and 
could  only  eventuate  in  destruction ;  with  a  mind  unclouded  by 
the  peril  that  surrounded  him,  ho  sought  and  procured  his  safety 
through  stratagem.  Calling  to  a  group  of  soldiers  who  were 
near,  he  demanded  where  their  regiment  was ;  lost  themselves, 
they  were  unable  to  answer :  but  taking  him  for  one  of  their 
own  officers,  they  followed,  as  they  were  ordered,  to  his  own 
line,  where  they  were  made  prisoners. 

The  7th  regiment,  commanded  by  Major  Piere,  and  the  44th, 
under  Major  Baker,  aided  by  Major  Butler,  gallantly  maintained 
the  conflict — forced  the  enemy  from  every  secure  position  he 
attempted  to  occupy,  and  drove  him  a  mile  from  the  first  point 
of  attack.  Confiding  in  themselves,  and  their  general,  who 
was  constantly  witli  them,  exposed  to  danger,  and  in  the  thickest 
of  the  fight,  inspired  by  his  ardour,  and  encouraging  by  his  ex- 
ample, they  advanced  to  the  conflict,  nor  evinced  a  disposition 
to  leave  it,  until  the  prudence  of  their  commander  directed  them 
to  retire. 

ROM  the  violence  of  the  assault  already 
made,  the  fears  of  the  British  had  been 
greatly  excited ;  to  keep  their  apprehensions 
alive  was  considered  important,  with  a  view 
partially  to  destroy  the  overweening  confi- 
dence with  which  they  had  arrived,  and 
compel  them  to  act,  for  a  time,  upon  the  de- 
fensive. To  effect  this.  General  Coffee,  with  his  brigade,  was 
ordered  down  on  the  24th,  to  unite  with  Colonel  Hinds,  and 
make  a  show  in  the  rear  of  Lacoste's  plantation.  The  enemy, 
not  yet  recovered  of  the  panic  produced  by  the  first  assault, 
already  believed  it  was  in  contemplation  to  urge  another  attack, 
and  immediately  formed  to  repel  it;  but  Coffee  having  suc- 
ceeded in  recovering  some  of  his  horses,  which  were  wandering 
along  the  sides  of  the  swamp ;  and  in  regaining  part  of  the 
clothing  his  troops  had  lost,  returned  to  the  line,  leaving  to  bo 
conjectured  the  objects  of  his  movement. 


476   BRITISH    ACCOUNT    OF    THE    23d    OF    DECEMBER. 

An  English  writer  gives  the  following  interesting  accountof  the 
action  of  the  23d  of  December : — "  When  the  shades  of  evening 
fell,  the  fires  were  made  to  blaze  more  brightly;  supper  was 
despatched,  and  the  men  prepared  themselves  for  rest;  but  a  little 
before  eight  o'clock  the  attention  of  some  was  drawn  to  a  large  ves- 
sel, which  seemed  to  be  stealing  up  the  river,  till  she  came  op- 
posite  to  the  British  station,  when  her  anchor  was  dropped,  and  her 
sails  leisurely  furled.  Various  were  the  opinions  entertained  of 
this  stranger.  She  was  hailed,  but  no  answer  was  returned.  All 
idea  of  sleep,  however,  was  now  laid  aside,  and  several  musket 
shots  were  fired,  of  which  not  the  slightest  notice  was  taken. 
At  length,  all  her  sails  being  fastened,  and  her  broadside  swung 
toward  the  camp,  a  voice  was  distinctly  heard  exclaiming,  *  Give 
them  this  for  the  honour  of  America.'  The  flashes  of  her  guns 
instantly  followed,  and  a  shower  of  grape  shot  swept  down  numbers 
of  the  British  troops.  An  incessant  cannonade  weis  then  kept 
up,  which  could  not  be  silenced,  as  our  troops  had  no  artillery, 
and  the  few  rockets  that  were  discharged  deviated  so  much  from 
their  object,  as  to  afford  only  amusement  for  the  enemy.  Under 
these  circumstances,  therefore,  all  were  ordered  to  leave  the  fires, 
and  shelter  themselves  under  the  dikes,  where  they  lay,  each  as 
he  could  find  room,  listening  in  painful  silence  to  the  iron  hail 
among  the  huts,  and  to  the  shrieks  and  groans  of  those  that  were 
wounded. 

"  The  night  was  dark  as  pitch ;  the  fires  were  all  extinguished, 
and  not  an  object  was  visible,  except  from  the  momentary  flashes 
of  the  guns,  when  a  straggling  fire  called  attention  toward  the 
pickets,  as  if  some  more  dreadful  scene  was  about  to  open :  nor 
was  it  long  before  suspense  was  cut  short  by  a  tremendous  yell, 
and  a  semicircular  blaze  of  musketry,  which  showed  that  the 
position  was  surrounded  by  a  superior  foi'ce ;  and  that  no  alterna- 
tive remained,  but  to  surrender,  or  to  drive  back  the  assailants. 
The  first  of  these  plans  was  instantly  rejected ;  for  the  troops, 
rushing  from  their  lurking  places,  and  da.shing  ^^hrough  their 
bivouac,  under  heavy  discharges  from  the  vessel,,  lost  not  a 
moment  in  attacking  the  foe,  without  the  slightest  attention  to 
order,  or  the  rules  of  disciplined  warfare :  the  combat,  which 
was  left  to  individual  valour  and  skill,  lasted  till  three  in  the 


ECEMBER. 

5  account  of  the 
ides  of  evening 
f)  supper  was 
est;  but  a  little 
ft  to  a  large  ves- 

she  came  op- 
ropped,  and  her 
;  entertained  of 
1  returned.  All 
several  musket 
tice  was  taken, 
roadside  swung 
jlaiming, '  Give 
les  of  her  guns 
t  down  numbers 

was  then  kept 
ad  no  artillery, 
id  so  much  from 
enemy.  Under 
)  leave  the  fires, 
ley  lay,  each  as 
o  the  iron  hail 
those  that  were 

.1  extinguished, 
mentary  flashes 
ion  toward  the 
ut  to  open :  nor 
remendous  yell, 
howed  that  the 

that  no  alterna- 
,  the  assailants. 

for  the  troops, 
•  vhrough  their 
ssel.,  lost  not  a 
test  attention  to 

combat,  which 
ill  three  in  the 


BRITISH    ACCOUNT    OP    THE    23d    OF    DECEMBER.    177 

morning ;  and  though  the  enemy  was  finally  repulsed,  no  less 
than  five  hundred  of  our  finest  troops  and  best  officers  were  left 
on  the  field :  the  rest  then  retired  to  their  former  lurking  places, 
to  be  out  of  reach  of  their  enemy  on  the  river ;  which,  when 
daylight  appeared,  was  discovered  to  be  a  fine  schooner  of 
eiorhteen  guns,  crowded  with  men.  In  the  cold  dikes,  however,- 
they  were  compelled  to  remain  the  whole  ensuing  day,  without 
fire  and  without  food ;  for  whenever  the  smallest  number  began 
to  steal  away  from  shelter,  the  vessel  opened  her  fire. 

"  In  the  mean  time,  the  remainder  of  the  troops  were  disem- 
barking in  haste  to  rejoin  their  comrades ;  and  as  the  schooner's 
ffuns  were  heard  at  the  distance  of  at  least  twenty  miles  over  the 
water,  and  in  the  silence  of  the  night,  the  most  strenuous  exer- 
tions were  made  by  the  boats*  crews :  nor  was  a  moment  lost  in 
returning  to  the  island ;  so  that  the  whole  army  was  brought 
into  position  before  dark  on  the  24th ;  but  the  advanced  brigade 
was  still  fettered  to  the  bank,  while  another  large  ship  now  cast 
anchor  about  a  mile  from  their  annoying  enemy :  as  soon,  how- 
ever, as  darkness  had  set  in,  a  change  of  position  was  effected, 
and  the  division  was  stationed  in  the  village  of  huts  :  the  front 
of  the  army  being  then  covered  by  a  strong  chain  of  outposts, 
they  remained  quiet  during  the  night ;  and  next  day  General 
Keene  was  relieved  from  further  care  and  responsibility  by  the 
unexpected  arrival  of  Sir  Edward  Packenham  and  General 
Gibbs ;  the  former  of  whom  had  been  despatched  from  England, 
to  take  the  chief  command,  as  soon  as  the  death  of  General  Ross 
was  known.  The  arrival  of  Packenham,  adored  as  he  was  by 
the  army,  elicited  the  utmost  enthusiasm ;  and  he  had  scarcely 
reached  the  camp,  before  he  proceeded  to  examine,  with  a 
soldier's  eye,  every  point  of  attack  or  defense.  Of  the  American 
army  nothing  could  be  seen  but  a  corps  of  five  hundred  mounted 
riflemen,  hovering  about  the  British  front,  and  watching  every 
motion ;  the  city  was  not  in  sight ;  and  no  advance  could  be 
made,  until  the  vessels  on  the  river  were  disposed  of:  as  delay 
was  now  dangerous,  nine  field-pieces,  two  howitzers,  and  a 
mortar  were  brought  down  to  the  bank  as  soon  as  it  became 
dark ;  a  battery  was  quickly  thrown  up  against  the  schooner ; 
ainl  at  davni,  on  the  26th.  a  heavy  cannonade  was  opened  upon 


1 


178  BRITISH  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  23d  OF  DECEMBER. 

Uer  with  red-hot  shot :  nor  was  it  long  before  her  crew  were  seen 
hastening  into  their  boats ;  while  the  smoke  first,  and  then  the 
Aames,  began  to  rise  from  her  decks ;  and,  in  about  an  hour,  she 
blew  up  :  the  guns  were  then  turned  against  the  ship ;  but  net 
wishiiig  to  share  the  fate  of  her  comrade,  she  set  up  every  inch 
of  canvas ;  and  being  impelled  both  by  sailing  and  towing,  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  out  of  the  range  of  shot.  All  apparent  obstacles 
being  now  removed,  the  army  advanced  to  a  more  forward  posi- 
tion ;  and  arrangements  were  quietly  made  during  the  day  till 
sunset :  but  from  that  period  until  near  dawn  the  whole  time 
was  spent  in  wakefulness  and  alarm ;  for  the  American  riflemen 
harassed  the  pickets ;  fired  on  the  sentinels  as  well  as  the  oflicers 
who  went  the  rounds;  and,  disregarding  all  the  usages  of  civil- 
ized  warfare,  thought  only  of  diminishing  the  number  of  their 
enemies  by  picking  off  every  individual  whom  they  could  reach. 
As  soon  as  day  began  to  break,  they  retired ;  and  our  troops 
formed  in  two  columns :  the  right,  under  General  Gibbs,  took 
post  near  the  skirts  of  the  morass,  throwing  out  its  skirmishers 
across  the  plain ;  while  the  left,  under  Keene,  drew  up  on  the 
road  near  the  river,  and  was  covered  by  the  rifle  corps,  which 
extended  itself  to  meet  the  skirmishers  of  the  right  column :  with 
this  division  went  the  artillery ;  and  at  a  given  signal,  the  whole 
moved  forward  in  high  spirits,  for  about  four  or  five  miles,  with- 
out the  slightest  check.  At  length  they  came  in  view  of  the 
American  army,  very  advantageously  posted  behind  a  canal, 
which  ran  from  the  morass  to  within  a  short  distance  of  the  road : 
along  its  line  were  formidable  breastworks ;  while  on  the  road, 
and  at  various  other  points,  were  powerful  batteries,  aided  by  a 
large  flotilla  of  gun-boats  on  the  river,  flanking  the  position.  As 
the  left  column  passed  a  few  houses,  built  at  a  turning  of  the 
road,  and  which  concealed  the  enemy  from  view,  it  was  suddenly 
checked  by  a  destructive  fire  from  the  battery  and  the  shipping : 
scarcely  a  bullet  passed  over,  or  fell  short  of  its  mark;  but 
striking  full  into  the  midst  of  the  British  ranks,  made  dreadful 
havoc :  the  houses  also  on  the  left,  which  had  been  purposely 
filled  with  combustibles,  were  now  fired  with  red-hot  shot ;  so 
that,  while  whole  ranks  were  mowed  down  by  the  artillery,  the 
survivors  were  scorched  by  flames,  or  half  suffocated  with 


DECEMBER. 


LOSS   OF  THE   CAROLINE. 


479 


smoke :  the  troops,  however,  were  not  long  suffered  to  remain  in 
this  situation ;  for,  being  ordered  to  quit  the  path,  and  form  in 
the  fields,  the  British  artillery  was  brought  up  against  that  of  i\ie 
enemy ;  but  being  inferior  both  in  number  of  guns  and  weight 
of  metal,  it  was  soon  obliged  to  retire  with  great  loss.  The 
infantry,  having  formed  in  line,  now  advanced  under  a  heavy 
discharge  of  round  and  grape-shot,  till  they  were  stopped  by  the 
canal,  the  depth  of  which  could  not  be  ascertained ;  they  were 
therefore  ordered  to  take  shelter  in  a  wet  ditch,  sufficiently  deep 
to  cover  the  knees;  where,  leaning  forward,  they  concealed 
themselves  as  well  as  they  could  behind  some  high  rushes  on  its 
brink :  in  the  mean  time,  the  advance  of  the  right  column  had 
been  stopped  by  similar  impediments ;  and  nothing  seemed  left 
but  to  withdraw  the  troops  from  their  perilous  situation :  a  party 
of  courageous  seamen  were  employed  to  remove  the  dismounted 
guns,  which  service  they  effected  under  the  whole  fire  of  the 
enemy ;  and  then  regiment  after  regiment  stole  away,  amid  dis- 
charges similar  to  those  which  saluted  their  approach ;  retiring 
to  a  position  in  the  plain,  about  two  miles  from  the  enemy's 
works,  and  in  full  sight  of  their  army." 

The  action  of  the  23d  saved  Louisiana ;  for  had  the  enemy  not 
been  attacked  with  such  impetuosity,  when  they  had  scarcely 
effected  their  disembarkation,  they  would  either  that  night  or  the 
next  morning,  have  marched  against  the  city,  which,  in  its  then 
defenseless  condition,  with  about  five  thousand  men,  mostly 
militia,  must  inevitably  have  fallen. 

The  three  following  days  were  occupied  in  erecting  fortifica- 
tions, and  reconnoitering  the  enemy's  positions.  Early  on  the 
27th,  a  battery  of  twelve  and  eighteen-pounders  opened  upon  the 
American  schooner  Caroline,  and  in  about  fifteen  minutes  set  her 
on  fire.  She  was  abandoned  by  her  crew,  and  soon  after  blew 
up.  The  guns  were  then  directed  against  the  Louisiana,  but 
without  causing  any  damage.  In  the  evening  the  British  land 
forces  drove  back  the  American  advance  guards,  and  toofe 
possession  of  Bienvenu's  and  Chalmette's  plantations.  All  the 
buildings  on  the  latter  were  blown  up  by  order  of  General  Jack- 
son. The  British  slowly  continued  their  march,  advancing  in 
columns,  preceded  by  several  pieces  of  artillery,  some  playing 


'1m 


ISO  THE    BNEMY's    artillery    SILENCED. 


y 


totUtfi»§  of  N«w  OrUtM.  , 

on  the  Louisiana,  and  others  on  the  American  intrenchments, 
The  Louisiana  suffered  the  columns  ^o  advance  a  considerable 
space,  and  then  opened  on  them  a  tremendous  and  well-directed 
fire.  The  example  was  followed  by  the  land  troops,  and  the 
enemy's  artillery  silenced.  So  excellent  was  the  Louisiana's 
position,  that  on  one  occasion  a  single  ball  from  her  killed  fifteen 
men.  Her  fire  finally  broke  the  columns,  forcing  them  back  to 
the  plantations,  where  they  covered  themselves  by  some  buildings 
on  Bienvenu's  field.  They  also  abandoned  several  batteries 
established  on  the  river  the  preceding  night.  Their  loss  was 
between  two  and  three  hundred  men ;  that  of  the  Americans, 
seven  killed  and  ten  wounded.  <    .  * 

At  this  time  the  British  regular  troops  numbered  about  ten 
thousand  men.  General  Gibbs's  division  had  landed,  and  Sir 
Edward  Packenham  had  taken  command  of  the  army,  with  his 
head-quarters  at  General  Villery's  house.  ^ 

Some  skirmishing  took  place  on  the  31st,  and  a  cannonade 
was  kept  up  between  the  Louisiana  and  some  batteries  until 
afternoon.  During  the  night,  the  enemy  erected  two  batteries 
at  the  distance  of  six  hundred  yards  from  the  American  lines, 
and  about  half  that  distance  from  the  river  bank. 

On  the  morning  of  January  1st,  1815,  a  thick  fog  covered  the 


ARRIVAL    OF    REINFORCEMENTS. 


481 


ground  until  eight  o'clock.  At  this  time  the  British  opened  a 
brisk  fire  from  three  batteries,  mounting  in  all  eighteen  large 
iruns.  A  shower  of  congreve  rockets  accompanied  the  balls, 
continuing  with  unprecedented  activity  for  fifleen  minutes 
This  was  answered  by  a  steady  fire  from  the  American  lines, 
and  in  less  than  an  hour  that  of  the  enemy  slackened.  The 
head-quarters  of  General  Jackson  were  destroyed,  and  himself 
and  staff  narrowly  escaped  being  shot.  Two  gun  carriages 
were  also  destroyed,  and  two  artillery  caissons  blown  up.  At 
ten  o'clock,  some  platoons  of  sharp  shooters  penetrated  into  the 
neighbouring  woods  in  order  to  reconnoiter  the  American  left ; 
but  they  were  promptly  met  by  General  Coffee's  brigade  and 
driven  back. 

The  enemy's  fire  continued  to  slacken  until  noon,  and  at  one 
o'clock  the  two  batteries  on  the  right  were  abandoned.  The 
other  threw  a  few  balls  and  rockets,  until  three  p.  m.  when  it 
also  ceased.  Deep  silence  then  ensued,  and  the  assailants  retired 
to  their  camp,  after  a  most  active  service  of  ten  hours.  The 
Americans  lost  during  the  day,  thirty-four  in  killed  and  wounded. 

On  the  4th  two  thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty  Kentucky 
militia  arrived  in  the  city,  under  Major-General  Thomas.  These 
troops  being  almost  entirely  destitute  of  decent  clothing,  were 
supplied  by  the  legislature  of  Louisiana  and  the  subscription 
of  private  individuals.  On  the  6th,  Sailing-Master  Johnson 
burnt  a  British  brig,  loaded  with  rum  and  biscuit,  capturing 
ten  prisoners.  The  same  day  an  unusual  stir  was  observed 
among  the  enemy,  who  covered  the  banks  of  Villery's  canal, 
dragging  boats,  inspecting  arms,  marching  and  exercising.  At 
the  same  time  the  Americans  erected  a  small  redoubt  of  two 
six-pounders,  commanding  the  river  bank  and  front  of  the  line. 

General  Jackson  had  now  eight  distinct  batteries  constructed, 
mounting  in  all  twelve  guns,  of  different  calibre,  the  largest 
however,  being  a  thirty-two-pounder,  under  command  of  Lieu- 
tenant Crawley,  late  of  the  Caroline.  The  works  were  one 
mile  in  extent,  from  the  river  to  the  Cypress  swamp,  and  termi- 
nated in  a  bend  to  the  left  of  about  two  hundred  yards.  On  the 
right  of  these  works  were  stationed  the  7th  regiment,  Majoi 
Plauche,  Major  Lacoste,  and  Major  Daquin's  battalions,  and  the 

2  8  61 


Iff 
tit 


482 


BATTLE    OF    NEW    ORLEANS. 


i.k 


44th  regiment,  amounting  in  all  to  thirteen  hundred  and  eighty, 
nine  men,  and  commanded  by  Colonel  Ross  of  the  44th ;  the 
centie  was  composed  of  General  Carroll's,  and  part  of  Gouoml 
Adair's  division,  and  amounted  to  sixteen  hundred  mQii',  on  thfl 
left  was  stationed  the  command  of  General  Coffee,  whose^  bri. 
gade  consisted  of  five  hundred  men ;  so  that  the  whole  line  was 
defended  by  three  thousand  four  hundred  and  eighty-niuu  rucii, 
On  the  opposite  side,  the  works  erected  by  General  Morgan 
were  defended  by  two  hundred  and  seventy-six  of  the  LoiiiNinnti 
contingent,  one  hundred  and  seventy-six  of  the  2d,  or  C()h)npl 
Cavalier's  regiment,  and  the  1st  and  part  of  the  6th,  oompriHing 
one  hundred  and  ten,  under  Colonel  Degian,  the  whole  amount- 
ing to  five  hundred  and  forty-six  men.  To  these  were  added 
on  the  night  of  the  27th,  a  reinforcement  of  five  hundred  muii, 
from  General  Adair's  Kentucky  militia,  under  Colonel  Davis. 
Commodore  Patterson  erected  further  batteries  on  the  same  side 
of  the  river,  to  annoy  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  if  he  should 
attempt  it,  along  the  levee  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  and  in 
the  line  which  covered  General  Morgan's  troops  were  planted 
one  twelve-DOunder,  and  two  brass  sixes. 

During  the  whole  night  of  the  7th,  busy  sounds  of  prepare 
tion  were  heard  in  the  enemy's  camp ;  and  before  daylight  next 
morning,  the  American  outposts  entered  camp,  and  announced 
that  the  enemy  were  approaching  in  great  force.  At  dawn  the 
news  was  confirmed;  rows  of  glittering  troops,  and  dyep 
columns  of  infantry,  stretched  from  the  wood  to  th©  river, 
covering  the  whole  field,  and  presenting  a  scene  of  terrible 
grandeur  rarely  witnessed  in  America.  A  rocket  disoharged 
from  the  wood  toward  the  river  was  the  signal  for  assault.  The 
troops  gave  three  cheers,  and  swept  along  in  close  column,  with 
fascines  and  scaling-ladders.  Clouds  of  rockets  preceded  them, 
and  continued  to  fall  during  the  whole  attack.  Three  batloi'ies 
now  opened  a  tremendous  fire  upon  them,  but  they  still  riiHlied 
on,  until  within  reach  of  the  Tennessee  and  Kentucky  riDen, 
which,  joined  with  the  fire  of  artillery,  mowed  them  down  by 
companies.  The  rapid  discharges  now  resembled  rattling  ])mU 
of  thunder,  and,  notwithstanding  the  utmost  exertions  ol'  the 
British  officers,  their  columns  faltered.  They  were  then  maiohed 


J 


m 


I    H' 


BATTLE    OP    NEW    ORLEANS. 


483 


Battle  of  New  Orleani. 


obliquely,  but  this  rendered  the  slaughter  greater ;  the  files  be 
came  mixed  and  broken,  the  whole  column  broke,  and  many  of 
the  troops  ran  to  shelter  themselves  among  the  neighbouring 
bushes.  The  remainder  retired  to  the  ditch,  where  they  had 
been  when  first  perceived.  At  this  place,  the  officers  succeeded 
with  much  difficulty  in  rallying  their  troops,  and  drew  them  up 
for  a  second  attack.  In  order  to  be  less  encumbered,  their  knap- 
sacks were  laid  at  the  edge  of  the  ditch.  The  rear  was  also 
brought  up  as  a  reinforcement. 

This  assault  was  received  with  the  same  steady  fire  that  had 
repulsed  the  first.  .The  British,  however,  advanced  much  nearer 
than  before ;  but  were  driven  back  in  the  utmost  confusion,  and 
in  defiance  of  all  the  exertions  of  the  officers,  did  not  stop  their 
flight,  until  without  the  reach  of  danger. 

In  the  commencement  of  the  attack,  the  honourable  Sir  Ed- 
ward Packenham  fell  a  victim  to  his  own  intrepidity,  while 
endeavouring  to  animate  his  troops.  The  command  then  de- 
volved on  General  Gibbs,  who  was  also  mortally  wounded ;  Ge- 
neral Keene  was  borne  from  the  field,  dangerously  wounded. 
Many  other  distinguished  officers  fell,  and  the  track  of  the 
column  was  marked  with  piles  of  the  dead  and  dying.     The 


:tl 


484 


ACTION    ON    THE    MISSISSIPPI. 


I 


officers  found  it  impossible  to  form  the  troops  a  third  time,  and 
they  passed  the  remainder  of  the  day  near  the  ditch. 

Some  of  the  enemy's  troops  had  advanced  into  the  wood, 
either  to  make  a  false  attack  or  to  ascertain  if  a  real  one  were 
practicable.  They  were  speedily  driven  back  by  General  Cof. 
fee's  rifles.  During  the  attack  on  the  left,  a  column  had  also  ad- 
vanced on  the  right,  drove  in  the  American  outposts,  and  entered 
an  unfinished  redoubt.  The  small  garrison  were  either  killed 
or  captured,  and  the  British  remained  masters  of  the  fort.  Here, 
however,  they  were  attacked  by  Colonel  Renee's  riflemen,  cut 
to  pieces,  and  the  advancing  column  completely  foiled.  The 
British  batteries,  which  had  kept  up  a  continual  fire  during  the 
charge,  were  all  silenced. 

During  the  main  assault  upon  General  Jackson's  position,  a 
second  attack  was  made  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Mississippi, 
against  about  eight  hundred  Louisiana  militia,  under  General 
Morgan.  The  enemy  crossed  at  daybreak,  attacking  and  driving 
back  about  one  hundred  men  sent  to  oppose  them.  It  had  been 
their  intention  to  assault  Morgan's  position  simultaneously  with 
the  commencement  of  the  main  action ;  but  in  this  they  were 
disappointed  by  being  carried  a  great  distance  by  the  current. 
A  small  number  of  Americans,  under  Colonel  Davis,  who  had 
just  arrived  from  Jackson's  position,  and  were  hungry,  cold,  and 
exhausted,  were  sent  to  op])ose  the  British.  After  a  spirited 
resistance  they  were  driven  back.  The  victors  then  pushed 
rapidly  against  the  left  of  General  Morgan's  defenses ;  but  re- 
ceived so  heavy  a  fire  of  artillery  and  musketry,  as  obliged  them 
to  give  ground.  They  then  attacked  the  right  and  centre,  turned 
Colonel  Davis's  detachment,  routed  the  Kentucky  militia,  and 
entered  the  works.  They  then  attacked  and  carried  the  left. 
The  defeat  of  the  main  army,  under  Packenham,  rendered  it  use- 
less for  the  British  to  pursue  this  advantage,  and  the  detachment 
returned  to  their  boats. 

The  loss  of  the  British  in  the  attack  on  General  Jackson's 
position,  was  two  hundred  and  ninety-three  killed,  twelve  hun 
dred  and  sixty-seven  wounded,  and  four  hundred  and  eighty-four 
missing.  Almost  all  their  valuable  officers  were  killed  or 
wounded.    General  Jackson  had  but  six  men  killed,  and  seven 


BOMBARDMENT    OF    FORT    ST.  PHILIP. 


485 


wounded ;  but  the  action  with  General  Morgan  swelled  the  total 
loss  to  about  five  hundred. 

N  the  following  day,  the  9th 
Admiral  Cochrane  directed 
two  bomb  vessels,  one  sloop 
of  war,  a  brig,  and  a  schooner, 
to  station  themselves  before 
Fort  St.  Philip,  with  a  view 
to  its  bombardment  and  de- 
struction. On  that  day  they 
commenced  an  attack,  and 
continued  throwing  shells  into 
the  fort  until  the  17th  in  the 
evening,  when  the  command- 
ant. Major  Overton,  opened  a 
heavy  mortar,  (not  until  then 
in  readiness,)  and  threw  the 
line  of  ships  into  such  disorder,  that  on  the  morning  of  the  18th, 
they  retired  to  the  anchorage  of  the  fleet. 

The  expedition  which  had  been  thus  extensively  planned  in 
England,  and  for  the  fitting  out  of  which  an  immense  treasure 
had  been  exhausted,  was  thus  resisted,  and  entirely  destroyed, 
by  the  valour  and  perseverance  of  a  small  army,  principally  made 
up  of  volunteers  and  militia,  and  commanded  by  a  general,  whose 
military  career,  though  brilliant  and  almost  unparalleled,  was 
commenced  but  two  years  before.  The  slaughter  which  attended 
repulse  of  the  invading  army  was  on  their  side  never  sur- 
Qt  any  other  battle.  Besides  their  generals  and  other 
officers  of  high  rank,  the  British  lost  in  killed,  wounded,  and 
missing,  about  four  thousand  men.  The  American,  killed, 
wounded,  and  missing,  did  not  exceed  five  himdred. 

The  British  fleet,  however,  continued  in  the  neighbourhood, 
and  on  the  10th  of  February,  General  Lambert  having  landed 
nesr  Fort  Bowyer,  with  a  large  body  of  his  troops,  demanded 
of  Lieutenant^Colonel  Lawrence  the  surrender  of  the  garrison 
In  its  rear  an  extensive  and  heavy  battery  had  been  planted,  and 
the  powerful  force  by  which  it  was  surrounded,  made  it  expe- 
dient that  the  fort  should  capitulate  on  honourable  terms,  or  that 

•  8 


(1 


w. 


1 1  y  /i  a 


i 


n 
if 

J,' 


'.  id  i 


'  iM 


486 


CESSATION    OF    HOSTILITIES. 


the  garrison  should  submit  to  the  sword.  Colonel  Lawrence 
chose  that  line  of  conduct  which  propriety  and  humanity  die- 
tated,  and  the  enemy  took  possession  of  the  fort. 

On  the  same  day  the  British  sloop  of  war  Brazen  arrived  off 
the  station,  with  intelligence  that  a  treaty  of  peace  had  been  con- 
cluded upon  between  the  American  and  British  ambassadors  at 
Ghent,  which  had  met  the  approbation  of  the  prince  regent  of 
England.  Not  long  after  General  Jackson  was  apprized,  by  the 
secretary  of  war,  of  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  by  the  president 
and  senate,  and  all  hostilities  immediately  ceased.  A  regular 
and  mutual  exchange  of  prisoners  was  entered  upon,  and  the 
volunteers  and  militia  were  honourably  discharged,  and  sent  to 
their  homes,  with  the  gratitude  and  applause  of  their  country. 


NAVAL    CAMPAIGN. 


487 


/; 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 


do0(  of  tl^e  IsTabal  ^ilPamp&ign  of  I1©1<A« 


VERY  attempt  to  escape 
from  the  blockade  of  the  fri- 
gates United  States  and  Ma- 
cedonian, and  the  sloop  of  war 
Hornet,  at  New  London,  hav- 
ing failed,  until  the  only  sea- 
son at  which  they  could 
possibly  escape  had  elapsed, 
the  Hornet  was  ordered  to 
remain  at  her  station  as  a 
guard  ship,  whilst  the  frigates 
were  to  be  moved  up  New 
London  river  to  the  head  of 
navigation  for  heavy  vessels, 
md  there  to  be  dismantled.  Commodore  Decatur  and  the  crew 
of  the  United  States  were  transferred  to  the  frigate  President, 
then  moored  at  New  York.  In  the  course  of  the  winter,  a  cruise 


1 1* 


•  k 


I' 


iSl 


488 


PRESIDENT   AND    ENDYMION. 


if    ' 

u 

I- 
It       * 


to  the  East  Indies  was  determined  on,  at  the  navy  department, 
to  be  performed  by  a  squadron,  consisting  of  that  frigate,  the 
sloop  of  war  Peacock,  then  also  at  New  York,  the  sloop  of  war 
Hornet,  and  the  Tom  Bowline,  a  merchant  vessel,  bought  into 
the  service  as  a  store  ship.  The  Hornet  was,  therefore,  directed 
to  proceed  to  the  same  harbour. 

On  the  night  of  the  18th  of  November  Captain  Biddle  passed 
the  blockading  squadron  without  being  discovered,  and  joined 
Commodore  Decatur,  at  New  York.  That  port  had  been  also 
constantly  blockaded,  and  several  frigates,  sloops  of  war,  and  a 
razee,  were  at  that  time  cruising  off  the  hook. 

On  the  14th  of  January,  Commodore  Decatur  thinking  it  more 
likely  to  get  to  sea  with  the  President  singly,  directed  Captain 
Warrington  to  follow  him  with  the  Peacock  and  Hornet  as 
soon  as  the  Tom  Bowline  was  in  readiness,  and  having  assigned 
the  island  of  Tristun  d'Acunha,  as  the  first  place  of  rendezvous, 
proceeded  to  the  bay,  with  a  view  of  escaping  from  Sandy  Hook 
in  the  night.  In  consequence  of  the  negligence  of  the  pilot,  the 
President  struck  upon  the  bar,  and  remained  there  thumping, 
upwards  of  two  hours.  This  accident  caused  her  ballast  to 
shift,  and,  when  extricated  from  this  situation  by  the  rise  of  the 
tide,  it  was  discovered  that  she  had  entirely  lost  her  trim.  The 
c-ourse  of  the  wind  forbidding  her  return  to  port,  the  commodore 
determined,  nevertheless,  upon  running  out  to  sea,  and  did  not 
doubt  but  she  would  soon  recover  that  ease  in  sailing  for  which 
she  had  been  long  celebrated.  At  daylight  he  fell  in  with  the 
British  squadron,  composed  of  the  Ma,jestic,  (razee,)  the  frigates 
Endymion,  Tenedos,  and  Pomone,  and  the  despatch  brig,  which 
immediately  gave  chase.  The  President  was  lightened  as  much 
as  possible,  but  the  superior  sailing  of  the  enemy's  ships,  enabled 
them  to  gain  rapidly  upon  her,  and  the  leading  frigate,  the  En- 
dymion, of  forty-nine  guns,  and  mounting  twenty-four-pounders 
on  her  gun  deck,  got  close  under  her  quarters  and  commenced 
firing. 

Commodore  Decatur,  finding  that  the  Endymion  was  cutting 
up  his  rigging,  without  his  being  able  to  annoy  her,  determined 
to  bear  up  and  engage,  and  if  possible  to  run  her  on  board,  and 
in  the  event  of  carrying  her,  to  sail  off  and  abandon  the  Presi- 


PRESIDENT  AND   ENDYMION. 


489 


dent.  But  the  enemy  manoBUvered  to  avoid  this  plan,  and  the 
conflict  continued  two  hours,  and  ended  in  silencing  and  beating 
off  the  Endymion,  with  her  hull  and  rigging  much  cut  up,  her 
masts  and  spars  badly  injured,  and  a  great  proportion  of  her 
crew  killed  and  wounded.  The  President  was  also  considerably 
damaged,  and  lost  twenty-five  men  killed,  and  sixty  wounded ; 
among  the  former.  Lieutenants  Babbit  and  Hamilton,  and  Acting 
Lieutenant  Howel ;  among  the  latter,  the  commodore,  and  Mid- 
shipman Dale,  who  lost  a  leg,  and  died  of  his  wounds  at  Bermuda. 

By  this  time  the  rest  of  the  squadron  came  within  two  miles 
of  the  President.  The  Endymion  had  hauled  off  to  repair,  and 
Commodore  Decatur  made  another  effort  to  escape.  But  in  three 
hours,  the  Pomone  and  Tenedos  lay  along-side,  and  the  Majestic 
and  Endymion  were  within  a  short  distance  of  him.  The  gal- 
lant commodore,  not  choosing  to  sacrifice  the  lives  of  his  crew 
in  a  useless  contest  with  a  squadron  of  ships  mounting  not  less 
than  one  hundred  and  ten  guns,  received  the  fire  of  the  nearest 
frigate,  and  surrendered.  He  was  taken  on  board  the  Endymion, 
to  whose  commander  he  refused  to  deliver  his  sword  when 
required,  alleging  that  if  they  had  been  singly  engaged,  that 
officer  would  inevitably  have  been  captured,  and  that  he  had 
struck  to  the  whole  squadron.  The  enemy,  however,  asserted 
that  the  President  had  been  conquered  by  the  Endymion  alone; 
that  the  damage  was  sustained  in  a  storm  which  rose  up  after 
the  battle ;  and  having  repaired  both  vessels,  sent  the  prize  from 
Bermuda  to  England  under  her  convoy.  There  she  was  light- 
ened  and  laid  in  dock  along-side  an  old  seventy-four,  which  was 
deeply  laden,  to  give  her  a  smaller  appearance  in  the  water  than 
the  President. 

The  United  States  frigate  Constitution,  which  had  been  some 
time  repairing  at  Boston  for  a  cruise,  sailed  from  that  port  on 
the  17th  of  December,  still  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Stewart.  After  cruising  in  various  parts  of  the  ocean,  and  in 
the  track  for  outward  and  homeward  bound  convoys,  until  the 
20th  of  February,  she  fell  in  with  two  strange  men-of-war  sail, 
at  ten  minutes  past  one,  p.  m.,  on  that  day.  One  of  these  being 
to  windward,  was  bearing  up  for  the  Constitution,  and  at  2"-  30'" 
displayed  signals  and  squared  away  to  the  westward  to  join  her 

68 


V  || 


I 

M 
If 

h 


, 


i 


111 


U^' 


'i  61 


i90 


CYANE    AND   LEVANT. 


».ri}!^ 


m5 


'ft 


consort.  The  Constitution  set  every  rag  in  chase,  and  a  few 
minutes  before  three  commenced  firing  from  her  forward  guns 
on  the  gun  deck.  At  3"  IS"-  the  main  royal-mast  of  the  Con- 
stitution was  carried  away,  and  enabled  the  enemy's  vessels  vo 
distance  her  fire.  Before  five  a  new  royal-mast  was  completed, 
and  a  little  while  after  the  breeze  freshened,  and  the  ship  to 
leeward  tacked  to  the  southward  under  all  sail.  At  six  the  two 
ships  hauled  to  on  the  larboard  tack,  in  line,  and  in  ten  minutes 
the  Constitution  ranged  ahead  of  the  sternmost,  brought  her  on 
the  quarter,  her  consort  on  the  bow,  at  two  hundred  yards 
distance,  and  opened  a  broadside,  which  was  immediately 
returned. 

An  exchange  of  broadsides  continued  until  the  three  ships 
were  completely  enveloped  in  smoke,  upon  the  clearing  away 
of  which  the  Constitution  found  herself  abreast  of  the  heatl- 
most  ship,  and  Captain  Stewart  ordered  both  sides  to  be  manned, 
backed  topsails,  and  dropped  into  his  first  position.  The  ships 
on  the  bow  backed  sails  also.  The  Constitution's  broadsides 
were  then  fired  from  the  larboard  battery,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
the  ship  on  the  bow  perceiving  her  error  in  getting  sternboard, 
filled  away  with  an  intention  of  tacking  athwart  the  bows  of 
the  Constitution,  and  the  ship  on  the  stern  fell  off,  perfectly 
unmanageable.  The  Constitution  then  filled  away,  in  full 
pursuit  of  the  former,  came  within  one  hundred  yards  of  her, 
and  grave  her  several  raking  broadsides.  She  made  all  sail 
before  the  wind,  with  a  view  to  escape,  and  Captain  Stewart 
knowing  her  crippled  situation  would  enable  him  to  overhaul 
her  at  any  time  after  securing  her  consort,  wore  round,  and 
ranged  along-side  the  latter  ship,  from  which  a  gun  was  fired  to 
leeward  to  signify  that  she  had  surrendered.  Possession  was 
then  taken,  by  Lieutenant  Hoffman,  of  his  Britannic  majesty's 
frigate  Cyane,  Captain  Gordon  Falkon,  of  thirty-four  guns, 
thirty-two-pound  carronades.  Her  commander  and  officers  beuig 
brought  on  board.  Captain  Stewart  sailed  in  chase  of  the  other 
vessel,  and  in  a  short  time  discovered  her,  standing  for  him  on 
the  weather  bow. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  enemy  fired  a  broadside,  which  beiiij; 
instantly  returned,  he  tacked  ship,  made  all  sail,  and  at  that 

69 


1 '  •'  ( 

1^ 


IJ. 


TK£  LEVANT  CAPTURED. 


491 


noment  received  a  rake  from  the  starboard  broadside  of  the 
Constitution.  Upon  gaining  his  wake,  Captain  Stewart  opened 
a  fire  from  his  gun  deck  chase  guns  with  such  effect  that  the 
enemy  hove  too  and  surrendered,  with  five  feet  water  in  his 
hold,  his  masts  tottering,  and  nothing  but  the  smoothness  of  the 
sea  preventing  ihemfrom  going  overboard.  Lieutenant  Ballard 
was  sent  on  board,  and  took  possession  of  his  Britannic  majesty's 
ship  Levant,  Captain  I)ouglass,  of  eighteen  thirty-two-pound 
carronades,  and  two  large  twelve-pounders.  n 

The  loss  on  board  the  Cyane  and  Levant  amounted  to  forty 
men  killed,  and  nearly  double  that  number  wounded ;  on  board 
the  Constitution,  where  no  other  spar  was  lost  than  the  fore  top 
gallant  yard,  four  men  were  killed  and  eleven  wounded.  On 
the  10th  of  March  Captain  Stewart  entered  the  harbour  of  Port 
Praya  with  his  prizes,  and  on  the  11th  a  British  squadron, 
consisting  of  the  Leander,  Sir  George  Collier,  the  Newcastle, 
Lord  George  Stewart,  neither  of  them  carrying  less  than  sixty 
guns,  and  the  frigate  Acasta,  Captain  Kerr,  of  forty-four  guns, 
which  had  sailed  from  the  eastern  coast  of  the  United  States,  in 
quest  of  the  Constitution,  appeared  off  its  entrance.  Captain 
Stewart  immediately  made  sail,  escaped  from  the  harbour 
with  his  squadron,  and  was  closely  pursued  by  the  enemy's 
three  ships.  After  a  long  and  perilous  chase,  the  Constitution 
and  Cyane  escaped  their  pursuers,  and  arrived  safely  in  the 
United  States,  but  the  Levant,  after  whom  all  sail  was  made  by 
the  enemy's  ships,  ran  into  Port  Praya,  with  a  heavy  fire  of 
broadsides  from  the  Leander  and  Newcastle,  to  put  herself  under 
the  protection  of  the  neutral  port.  The  neutrality  of  the  Portu- 
guese was  not  regarded  by  the  British  squadron,  however,  and 
they  recaptured  the  Levant,  and  carried  her  into  Barbadoes. 

A  few  days  after  the  departure  of  the  President  from  New 

York,  the  Peacock,  Hornet,  and  Tom  Bowline  left  that  harbour 

without  knowing  of  her  capture.  On  the  third  after  sailing  from 

Sandy  Hook,  (the  23d  of  January,)  the  Hornet  parted  company 

A^ith  the  Peacock  and  Tom  Bowline,  and  directed  her  course 

Inwards  the  island  of  Tristan  d'Acunha,  the  first  designated 

rendezvous  for  the  squadron.    On  the  23d  of  March  she  descrie-d 

he  British  brig  Penguin,  Captain  Dickenson,  of  eighteen  guns, 
112 


L 


"^Ilf 


I  if 


!1 


'  i 


■  -^     k'ft+f   *  I 


■lit' 


'I 


492 


HORNET  AND  PENGUIN. 


and  a  twelve-pound  carronade,  to  the  southward  and  eastward 
of  the  island.  This  vessel  had  been  fitted  out,  and  twelve  super- 
numerary marines  put  on  board,  with  whom  her  crew  unountcd 
to  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  men,  to  cruise  for  the  America  n 
privateer  Young  Wasp. 

Captain  Biddle  immediately  made  sail,  cleared  the  island,  and 
hove  to,  until  the  Penguin,  at  the  same  time  coming  down, 
should  be  within  striking  distance.  At  forty  minutes  past  one, 
p.  M.,  the  Penguin  hauled  her  wind  on  the  starboard  tack, 
hoisted  English  colours,  and  fired  a  gun  at  musket-shot  distance. 
The  Hornet  immediately  luffed  to,  sent  up  an  ensign,  and  gave 
the  enemy  a  broadside.  A  constant  fire  was  kept  up  for  fifteen 
minutes,  the  Penguin  all  that  time  gradually  nearing  upon  the 
Hornet,  when  Captain  Dickenson  gave  orders  to  run  her  on  board, 
and  was  killed  by  a  grape-shot  before  he  saw  them  executed. 
Lieutenant  McDonald,  upon  whom  the  command  of  the  Pen- 
guin then  devolved,  bore  her  up,  and  running  her  bowsprit  in 
between  the  main  and  mizzen  rigging  of  the  Hornet,  ordered  his 
crew  to  board.  His  men,  however,  seeing  the  Hornet's  boarders 
not  only  ready  to  repel  them,  but  waiting  for  orders  to  jump 
upoij  the  Penguin's  deck,  refused  to  follow  him.  At  that  moment 
the  heavy  swell  of  the  sea  lifted  the  Hornet  ahead,  and  the 
enemy's  bowsprit  carried  away  her  mizzen  shrouds  and  spanker 
boom,  and  the  Penguin  hung  upon  the  Hornet's  quarter-deck, 
with  the  loss  of  her  foremast  and  bowsprit.  Her  commander 
then  called  out  that  he  had  surrendered.  Though  he  was  not 
distinctly  understood,  Captain  Biddle  ordered  his  marines  to 
cease  firing,  and  demanded  of  the  Penguin  whether  she  had 
struck.  An  officer  of  the  Hornet  discovered  a  man  taking  aim 
at  Captain  Biddle,  after  the  surrender,  and  called  to  him  to  avoid 
the  fire.  He  had  scarcely  done  so,  when  a  musket  ball  struck 
the  captain  in  the  neck,  severely  wounding  him,  and  passing 
through  his  coat  collar.  Two  marines,  to  whom  the  man  was 
pointed  out,  who  had  discharged  his  piece  at  their  commander, 
imntediately  fired  at  and  killed  him  before  he  brought  it  from 
his  shoulder.  The  Penguin  just  then  got  clear  of  the  Hornet, 
and  the  latter  wore  round  to  give  the  enemy  a  fresh  broadside, 
when  her  commander  called  out  a  second  time  that  he  had  sur- 


d  and  eastA^-ard 
i  twelve  super- 
orew  amounted 
r  the  AmericLn 

I  the  island,  and 

coming  doN^-n, 
inutes  past  one, 
starboard  tack, 
et-shot  distance, 
nsign,  and  gave 
pt  up  for  fifteen 
earing  upon  the 
Mn  her  on  board, 
them  executed, 
and  of  the  Pen- 

her  bowsprit  in 
met,  ordered  his 
[omet's  boarders 

orders  to  jump 
At  that  moment 

ahead,  and  the 
uds  and  spanker 
t's  quarter-deck, 
Her  commander 
ougli  he  was  not 

his  marines  to 
vhether  she  had 

man  taking  aim 
d  to  him  to  avoid 
isket  ball  struck 
lim,  and  passing 
)m  the  man  was 
heir  commander, 

brought  it  from 
ir  of  the  Hornet, 

fresh  broadside, 

that  he  had  sur- 


'u. 


CAPTURE  OF  THE   PENGUIN. 


495 


iMtiw  of  th*  Hornat. 

rendered.  The  severest  exercise  of  authority  became  necessary 
to  prevent  the  Hornet's  crew,  who  were  incensed  at  the  enemy's 
firing  after  he  had  struck,  from  discharging  the  broadside. 
Twenty-two  minutes  after  the  commencement  of  the  action,  she 
was  taken  possession  of  by  Mr.  Mayo,  of  the  Hornet.  The 
Penguin  was  so  much  injured,  that  Captain  Biddle  determined 
upon  taking  out  her  crew  and  scuttling  her — after  doing  which, 
he  sent  his  prisoners  to  St.  Salvador  in  the  Tom  Bowline,  by 
which  vessel  and  the  Peacock  he  was  joined  on  the  26th  of  the 
month.  In  this  action  the  Penguin  lost  fourteen  men  killed, 
and  twenty-eight  wounded ;  the  Hornet,  one  killed,  and  eleven 
wounded ;  among  the  latter,  her  first  lieutenant,  Conner,  dan- 
gerously. 

Having  bent  a  new  suit  of  sails,  and  repaired  his  rigging, 
Captain  Biddle  was  in  a  perfect  condition  to  prosecute  the 
cruise,  and,  together  with  the  Peacock,  after  waiting  the  full 
time  for  Commodore  Decatur  at  the  island  of  Tristan  d'Acunha, 
sailed  on  the  12th  of  April  for  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  On  the 
27th  they  discovered  a  British  ship  of  the  line,  with  an  admiral's 
flag.  The  Peacock  and  Hornet  immediately  separated,  and 
made  all  sail  in  different  directions  from  the  stranger,  who  came 
up  in  pursuit  of  the  latter.  The  chase  commenced  at  about  two 
o'clock  of  the  27th,  and  continued  until  ten  in  the  morning  of  the 


'■IJ 


1  ': 


<    I 


IS'  r| 

m 


f()-. 


"  i    5 


496 


RESULT  OF   THE    NAVAL   WAR. 


30th,  during  which  time  the  enemy's  bow  guns  were  conlinuftHy 
fired — ills,  vessel  frequently  gained  upon,  and  was  as  often 
dropped  by  the  Hornet;  and  Captain  Biddle,  after  throvvino 
overboard  every  heavy  article  at  hand,  and  all  his  guns  but  oiio 
at  length  effected  his  escape,  and  went  to  St.  Salvador  for  the 
purpose  of  refitting.  On  his  arrival  there,  he  gained  intelligunce 
of  the  conclusion  of  hostilities  between  the  two  nations,  and  soon 
after  sailing  thence,  returned  to  the  United  States  about  the 
latter  end  of  July,  and  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  post  eaptrijn. 

The  capture  of  the  Cyane,  the  Levant,  and  the  Penguin,  took 
place  before  the  expiration  of  the  time  limited  by  the  Sd  artiole 
of  the  treaty  of  peace,  to  constitute  their  legality,  and  llie  only 
one  of  them  which  got  into  port,  the  Cyane,  was  taken  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States. 

Thus  terminated  a  war  of  two  years  and  eight  montliN,  in 
which  the  naval  arms  of  the  United  States  were  fifteon,  and 
those  of  Great  Britain  four  times  triumphant;  and  during 
which  the  former  lost  three  frigates,  seven  sloops,  and  ftve 
smaller  vessels  of  war ;  whilst  the  latter  lost  five  frigates,  nine- 
teen sloops  of  war,  one  of  which  was  blown  up  by  a  land  bat- 
tery, several  gun-brigs  and  schooners,  two  brigs  cut  out  from 
under  the  guns  of  a  fort,  and  upwards  of  fifteen  hundred  mer- 
chantmen, captured  by  private  armed  vessels.  The  o])oration8 
of  the  American  armies  were,  at  the  commencement  of  the  war, 
not  quite  so  successful : — Defeat,  disgrace,  and  disaster,  in  many 
instances,  followed  their  movements;  but  the  struggle  was 
eventually  closed  by  a  succession  of  achievements,  which  re* 
fiected  the  highest  lustre  upon  the  American  name,  and  ranked 
the  United  States  among  the  first  nations  of  the  earth. 


)re  coutinimlly 
was  m  often 
iftor  throwing 
guns  b\it  OIK', 
ilvador  for  the 
3d  intelligence 
tions,  and  soon 
ates  about  the 
>f  post  eapttiin. 
Penguin,  took 
'  the  Sd  article 
',  and  tlie  only 
taken  into  the 

^ht  monthH,  in 
5r6  fifteen,  and 
t;  and  during 
oops,  and  five 
)  frigates,  nine, 
by  a  land  but' 
8  cut  out  from 

hundred  mer- 
rhe  operations 
ont  of  the  war, 
saster,  in  ninny 

stnigglo  was 
3nt8,  which  re- 
ne,  and  ranked 
arth. 


S.tS 


68 


Jol 

80C 

m 
m 
Km 
n 
tin 


Francii  liilliihago. 


THE  FIRST  SEMINOLE  WAR. 

T  the  commencement  of  the  war  of  1812, 
numbers  of  Indians  in  the  southern  states, 
diRsatisfied  with  the  American  government, 
retired  into  Florida,  where,  being  counte- 
nanced by  the  Spanish  authorities,  they 
formed  themselves  into  small  bands  for  the 
purposes  of  plunder  and  aggression.  In 
September,  1812,  a  settlement  on  the  St. 
Johns  river  was  attacked,  and  eight  persons  murdered :  and 
soon  after  an  escort,  consisting  of  a  captain  and  twenty  men, 
was  surprised  by  a  considerable  party,  the  captain  and  another 
man  killed,  six  wounded,  and  all  their  wagons  carried  into  St. 
Augustine.  Similar  outrages  were  committed  during  the  whole 
war,  to  an  extent  that  kept  several  of  the  southern  states  in  con- 
tinual alarm. 
When  Colonel  NichoUs  was  expelled  from  Pensacola  by  Ge- 

(499) 


:^!     ! 


I 


:  LI  111 


m 


i 


J,    ■ 

'■I     i 

1^ 


600 


EXPLOSION  OF  THE  ENEMY'S  FORT. 


neral  Jackson,  he  went  to  Florida,  and  immediately  commenced 
a  regular  organization  of  the  negroes  and  Indians.  In  order  to 
strengthen  this,  he  visited  England,  accompanied  by  the  dis- 
tinguished Seminole  chief,  Francis  Hillishago,  and  concluded 
a  treaty  of  friendship  with  that  nation.  Some  time  after 
leaving,  he  was  succeeded  in  the  government  by  Ambrister  and 
Arbuthnot. 

Things  remained  in  this  unpropitious  condition  until  1817, 
when  a  small  tract,  called  Amelia  Island,  was  attacked  by  some 
adventurers,  and  the  Spanish  garrison  expelled.  It  was  then 
employed  as  a  depot  for  smuggling  goods.  This  lawless  trade 
was  carried  on  until  December  22d,  when  by  order  of  President 
Monroe,  Captain  Henley  seized  the  island  and  drove  away  the 
outlaws. 

Previous  to  this,  Colonel  Clinch,  with  five  hundred  Indians 
and  a  number  of  United  States  troops,  was  sent  against  a  fort 
erected  by  the  savages  on  the  Appal  achicoli.  On  the  10th  of 
July,  1816,  the  army  moved  up  the  river  in  schooners  and  gun- 
boats. When  near  the  fort,  a  watering  party  of  seven  men 
were  attacked  by  Indians  and  negroes,  five  were  killed,  one 
escaped,  and  one  captured,  tortured,  and  put  to  death.  The 
garrison  numbered  four  hundred  savages  and  negroes,  who 
had  twelve  pieces  of  artillery.  The  colonel's  gun-boats  con- 
tained but  a  twelve-pounder,  and  twenty-five  men  each ;  but 
although  admonished  of  the  enemy's  force,  he  determined  on 
an  attack.  He  had  scarcely  commenced  firing,  when  a  hot 
shot  struck  the  principal  magazine,  and  the  fort  was  blown 
lip  with  a  fearful  explosion,  carrying  with  it  the  shattered  re- 
mains of  two  hundred  and  seventy-three  of  the  garrison.  Only 
three  of  the  remainder  escaped  unhurt.  This  event  broke  up  a 
large  horde  of  desperadoes,  and  terminated  the  war  ir  that 
district. 

In  the  fall  of  1817,  the  family  of  Mr.  Garrett,  in  East  Florida, 
was  attacked  during  his  absence  from  home,  and  his  wife  and 
two  children  butchered.  Soon  after  a  man  named  McKrimnon 
was  captured,  and  tied  to  the  stake  preparatory  to  being  burned 
He  was  rescued  only  through  the  intercession  of  one  Milly, 
Uaughter  of  the  principal  chief,  Hillishago,  who,  like  Poca- 


JACKSON    ORDERED    TO    FORT    SCOTT. 


501 


hontas  rushed  toward  her  father,  and  implored  him  to  spare 
the  prisoner.  Being  subsequently  ransomed,  he  married  hia 
deliverer. 

In  November,  General  Gaines,  commander  in  Florida,  re- 
ceived orders  from  Washington,  to  open  negotiations  with  the 
Creeks,  in  order  to  transport  them  to  the  country  ceded  by  the 
United  States  government.  This  the  Indians  refused  to  do; 
and  when  their  chief,  Hornetlimed,  was  summoned  by  the  ge- 
neral to  appear  at  the  fort,  he  answered  by  a  haughty  defiance. 
Next  -^ay  Major  David  E.Twiggs  was  sent  against  the  fort  with 
two  hundred  and  fifty  men.  After  repelling  an  attack  on  the 
road  and  killing  several  of  the  assailants,  he  reached  the  town 
and  found  it  deserted. 

After  this  affair,  Gaines  despatched  Major  Muhlenburg, 
from  the  head-qaarters  at  Fort  Scott,  to  Mobile,  with  three 
vessels,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  provisions.  Beside  the 
crew,  he  had  on  board  a  number  of  volunteers  with  their  wives 
and  children.  Sickness  obliged  him  to  halt  on  the  Appalachicola,; 
where  he  was  soon  reinforced  by  forty  men,  under  Lieutenant 
Scott.  The  major  detached  half  of  the  crew,  for  his  own  use, 
and  placing  seven  women,  four  children,  and  his  sick  on  board 
the  lieutenant's  boat,  he  sent  him  back  to  Fort  Scott.  When 
near  Flint  river,  the  party  were  attacked  by  some  savages 
under  Hornetlimed,  and  all  were  killed  except  six  soldiers,  who 
escaped,  and  one  woman  made  prisoner.  The  scalps  were 
:aken  to  the  red  pole  at  Mickasuky  village  and  added  to  the 
number  already  there. 

On  receiving  intelligence  of  this  outrage,  the  secretary  of  war 
wrote  to  General  Jackson,  ordering  him  to  repair  immediately 
to  Fort  Scott  and  take  charge  of  the  war.  Eight  hundred  men 
were  given  him,  with  authority  to  draw  volunteers  from  the 
neighbouring  states,  should  that  number  be  insuflicient  for  the 
campaign. 

This  communication  reached  General  Jackson  January  12th, 
1918.  He  then  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  Tennessee  volun- 
teers, to  join  him  in  the  coming  campaign.  This  was  effectual, 
and  a  number  were  soon  on  their  way  to  Fort  Scott.  On  thf. 
9th  of  March,  the  general  himself  arrived  there,  having  mus* 


' 


P 


iff 

'  H  ^  ■ 
'  %  ^  t ; 


■  'i.:;.  1*11 


II  ( 


H 


'';3  M 


''iuix-i 


!''i,i 


Mi  i 


' '.  'm 


502    EXECUTION    OF    ARBUTHNOT    AND    AMBRISTER. 


U. 


fiPff 

m 


'til  1'%i^'':-: 


tered  on  the  road  more  than  one  thousand  militia,  mostly  from 
Georgia.  Finding  the  garrison  very  destitute  of  provisions,  he 
determined  to  win  supplies  from  the  enemy,  and  on  the  10th, 
pushed  toward  the  Appalachicola.  On  the  march  he  was  joined 
by  General  Gaines,  and  built  Fort  Gadsden  where  the  Indian 
fort  had  stood  that  was  blown  up  by  Colonel  Clinch.  Continu- 
ing his  march,  he  was  joined  on  the  1st  of  April  by  the  Ten- 
nessee men.  The  same  day  he  drove  back  a  party  of  Indians, 
and  took  possession  of  their  village.  Numerous  scalps  were 
found  strung  upon  the  red  war  pole,  and  others  in  different 
wigwams. 

About  this  time,  a  party  numbering  five  hundred  Indians 
and  negroes  surrounded  the  Spanish  fort,  St.  Marks,  and  de- 
manded its  surrender.  This  place  was  one  of  great  importance, 
being  strongly  built,  and  having  served  formerly  as  the  main 
depot  of  the  Indians,  and  scene  of  all  their  councils.  As  the 
Spanish  garrison  was  very  weak,  Jackson  determined  to  an- 
ticipate the  enemy,  and  accordingly  marched  to  the  fort  and 
took  possession  without  opposition,  sending  the  garrison  and 
authorities  to  Pensacola.  Here  he  captured  the  chiefs  Hornet- 
limed  and  Hillishago,  both  of  whom  were  hung.  Arbuthnot 
was  also  captured. 

After  garrisoning  the  captured  station.  General  Jackson  pro- 
ceeded against  the  Suwanee  towns,  where  he  arrived  April  16th. 
After  a  slighc  resistance  in  which  two  Indians  were  taken  and 
eleven  killed,  the  settlement  was  taken,  the  huts  destroyed,  and 
some  provisions  secured.  Two  days  after,  Ambrister  was  cap- 
tured. On  the  22d  a  court  of  inquiry  convened  for  the  trial  of 
this  man  and  Arbuthnot,  and,  after  six  days'  session,  found  them 
guilty  of  inciting  the  Indians  to  aggression,  and  gave  as  their 
opinion  that  they  were  worthy  of  death.  General  Jackson  sen- 
tenced Arbuthnot  to  be  hung,  and  Ambrister  to  be  shot.  The 
sentence  was  executed  on  the  29th.  On  the  same  day  the 
general  returned  to  Fort  Gadsden. 

Intelligence  now  arrived  that  the  defeated  Seminoles  weu 
mustering  near  Pensacola.  It  was  also  rumoured  that  they  were 
assisted  and  encouraged  by  the  Spanish  garrison  at  that  place. 
Although  Spain  was  then  at  peace  with  the  United  States,  Ge 


MBRISTER. 


BOMBARDMENT   OF    FORT    BARRANCAS. 


503 


aeral  Jackson  resolved  on  marching  into  the  territory,  and  cap- 
turing the  garrrison  at  Pensacola.  Accordingly  he  left  Fort 
Gadsden  on  the  1 0th  of  May,  at  the  head  of  twelve  hundred 
men,  and  on  the  22d  arrived  near  Pensacola.  On  notifying  the 
Spanish  governor,  he  was  ordered  to  quit  the  country.  Disre- 
garding this,  he  entered  the  city  on  the  24th,  and  immediately 
commenced  operations  for  assaulting  Fort  Barrancas,  whither 
the  governor  with  his  small  force  had  retired.  A  bombardment 
of  this  was  kept  up  until  the  27th,  when  it  surrendered,  and 
the  Spanish  authorities  were  sent  to  Havana.  Soon  after  Ge- 
neral Jackson  took  possession  of  the  whole  territory,  garrisoned 
different  stations,  and  broke  up  all  the  Indian  villages.  He  then 
retired  to  the  Hermitage,  in  Tennessee,  leaving  the  command 
with  General  Gaines,  who,  under  his  orders,  speedily  took  pos- 
session of  St.  Augustine. 

President  Monroe,  in  his  message  of  November,  1818,  thus 
speaks  of  the  condition  of  affairs  in  Spanish  Florida : 

"  A  state  of  things  has  existed  in  the  Floridas,  the  tendency 
of  which  has  been  obvious  to  all  who  have  paid  the  slightest 
attention  to  the  progress  of  affairs  in  that  quarter.  Throughout 
the  whole  of  those  provinces  to  which  the  Spanish  title  extends, 
the  government  of  Spain  has  scarcely  been  felt.  Its  authority 
has  been  confined  almost  exclusively  to  the  walls  of  Pensacola 
and  St.  Augustine,  within  which  only  small  garrisons  have  been 
maintained.  Adventurers  from  every  country,  fugitives  from 
justice,  and  absconding  slaves,  have  found  an  asylum  there. 
Several  tribes  of  Indians,  strong  in  the  number  rf  their  warriors, 
remarkable  for  their  ferocity,  and  whose  settlements  extend  to 
our  Umits,  inhabit  those  provinces.  These  different  hordes  of 
people,  connected  together,  disregarding,  on  the  one  side,  the 
authority  of  Spain,  and  protected  by  an  imaginary  line  which 
separates  Florida  from  the  United  States,  have  violated  our  laws 
prohibiting  the  introduction  of  slaves,  have  practised  various 
frauds  on  our  revenue,  and  committed  every  kind  of  outrage  on 
our  peaceable  citizens,  which  their  proximity  to  us  enabled  them 
to  perpetrate.  The  invasion  of  Amelia  Island  last  year  by  a 
small  band  of  adventurers  not  exceeding  one  hundred  and  fifty 
in  number,  who  wrested  it  from  the  inconsiderable  Spanish 


] 


ll;: 


■<       J 


iMJ! 


'•!!';(■    K^'*'»-( 


i' 


:':;^fl 


"lit  .V 

1 H'  ■" « 


604   FLORIDA  CEDED  TO  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

force  stationed  there,  and  held  it  several  months,  during  which 
a  single  effort  only  was  made  to  recover  it,  which  failed,  clearly 
proves  how  completely  extinct  the  Spanish  authority  had  be- 
come; as  the  conduct  of  those  adventurers  while  in  possession 
of  the  island  as  distinctly  shows  the  pernicious  purposes  for 
which  their  combination  had  been  formed." 

The  forcible  occupation  of  a  neutral  territory,  elicited  much 
attention  in  the  United  States,  and  subjected  General  Jackson 
to  much  censure.  The  government  promptly  surrendered  the 
captured  posts  to  the  Spanish  crown,  but  did  not  think  proper 
to  call  the  general  to  account  for  his  actions.  The  Seminole 
war  was,  however,  ended  for  that  time ;  and  the  cession  of  Flo* 
rida  to  the  United  States  in  1819,  put  an  end  to  all  dif&culties 
with  Spain. 


1 

1 

iPI 

H 

HK' 

'iikiA 

1 

toPkI'' 


STATES. 

IS,  during  which 
5h  failed,  clearly 
ithority  had  be- 
lle in  poasesision 
us  purposes  for 

jr,  elicited  much 
General  Jackson 
surrendered  the 
Lot  think  proper 
The  Seminole 
e  cession  of  Flo« 
to  all  difficulties 


su 


64 


1* 

I 

i 

>1 

<V  X 

ll 


m 


i 


/. 


mm 


\'> 


h  <  k 


■1 

r  • ' 

HIMJP 

R- 

^3 1^ 

ffl  1 J      ' 

Liiil 

'I 


Blaek  Hawk. 


!^'  ' 

5 

%~    k 

1ft  11 

.|,.| 

Ji  V  M 

'ji 

;  1'^  . 

1 

U        ' 

■ ' 

,.( 

'  1 

■  ■  li 

■1  m 

S     1', 

W  \ 

.J 

£ 

.Ji 

■  i  s  '  , 

■•ll'  1 

11 1:'  ; 

I'lliW;! 

r    rf.    9'! 

^  if ' 

BLACK  HAWK'S  WAR. 


■;■;    I    »  1 

■   ■    [  ■ 
'  ' .  'l  ■ 

•  '  ;  '•  hi  i 

|EW  Indian  chiefs  have  elicited  more 
respect  for  their  admirable  qualities, 
or  more  sympathy  for  their  misfor- 
tunes and  patriotic  sufferings,  than 
Black  Hawk.  This  chief  was  the 
very  personification  of  an  Indian  brave, 
and  his  capability  of  planning  a  great 
enterprise,  executing  it,  and  rallying 
around  him  the  united  efforts  of  his 
people  was  fully  displayed  during  the  war  to  which  he  has  given 
a  name. 

Black  Hawk  was  born  about  the  year  1767,  on  the  Rock 
river,  Illinois.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  took  a  scalp  from  an 
enemy,  and  was  in  consequence  promoted  by  his  tribe  to  the 
rank  of  a  brave.  Engaging  soon  afterwards  in  an  expedition 
against  the  Osages,  he  fought  several  battles,  highly  distinguished 

114  (507) 


k '  s    ; 


608 


FORBEARANCE    OF    THE    INDIANS. 


H. 


m 


m 

m 


himself,  and  brought  back  a  number  of  trophies.  As  a  reward  he 
was  permitted  to  participate  in  a  great  scalp  dance,  held  by  his 
nation  in  commemoration  of  victory.  His  reputation  being  thus 
established,  he  frequently  led  war  parties  against  the  enemies  of 
his  tribe,  and  was  in  almost  every  case  successful.  The  influence 
and  military  knowledge  which  he  thus  acquired,  were  fitting 
him  for  a  contest  in  which,  though  unfortunate,  he  was  to  ac- 
quire undying  reputation. 

The  treaty  concluded  in  1804,  by  Governor  Harrison,  with 
the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  by  which  the  latter  ceded  their  lands  east 
of  the  Mississippi,  was  executed  by  a  few  chiefs,  without  the 
knowledge  or  consent  of  the  nation.  Although  this  gave  rise  to 
much  dissatisfaction  among  the  Indians,  no  act  of  serious  op. 
position  took  place,  until  the  United  States  government  erected 
Fort  Madison  upon  the  Mississippi.  This  at  once  revived  their 
jealousies  and  an  attempt  was  made  to  cut  off  the  garrison. 
From  that  time  the  whites  regarded  the  Indians  as  enemies,  and 
were  by  no  means  scrupulous  in  their  dealing  or  intercourse 
with  them. 

A  short  time  previous  to  this,  the  admission  of  Illinois  into 
the  Union  as  a  state  had  given  a  new  cause  for  dispute.  At- 
tracted by  the  fertile  soil  of  that  rich  territory,  emigrants  from 
all  parts  poured  into  it,  and  in  a  short  time  the  land  occupied 
by  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  was  completely  surrounded  by  white 
settlers.  These  soon  began  to  commit  outrages  upon  their  red 
neighbours,  in  order  to  hasten  their  departure  from  the  ceded 
territory.  In  1827,  when  the  tribes  were  absent  from  home  on 
a  hunting  excursion,  some  of  the  whites  set  fire  to  their  village, 
by  which  forty  houses  were  consumed.  With  commendable 
forbearance  the  Indians  paid  no  apparent  attention  to  this  dis- 
honourable act,  but  quietly  rebuilt  their  dwellings.  They  raised 
the  fences  which  had  been  broken  down,  and  saved  as  much  of 
their  corn  as  was  possible. 

The  American  government  now  determined  to  sell  the  land 
occupied  by  these  tribes,  and  they  were  accordingly  advised  to 
remove.  Keokuk,  the  chief,  with  a  majority  of  the  nation  de- 
termined to  do  so ;  but  Black  Hawk,  and  a  party  which  he  had 
gained  over  to  himself,  resolved  to  remain  at  all  hazards. 


COMMENCEMENT    OF    HOSTILITIES. 


609 


aved  as  miich  of 


Meanwhile  the  whites  committed  greater  acts  of  violence  upon 
the  Indians  than  before.  The  latter  at  last  took  up  arms,  and  a 
war  would  certainly  have  taken  place,  had  not  General  Gaines, 
commander  of  the  western  division  of  the  army,  hastened  to  the 
scene  of  action.  This  able  and  prudent  officer  immediately 
convened  a  council  of  the  principal  chiefs,  in  which  it  was 
agreed  that  the  Indians  should  instantly  remove.  They  accord- 
ingly crossed  the  river  and  settled  on  its  western  bank.  Not- 
withstanding this  measure,  a  majority  of  the  Indians  were  on 
peaceful  terms  with  the  United  States.  But  Black  Hawk  and 
his  band  determined  on  returning  to  Illinois,  alleging  that  they 
had  been  invited  by  the  Potawatamies,  residing  on  Rock  river, 
to  spend  the  summer  with  them  and  plant  corn  on  their  lands. 
They  recrossed  the  river,  and  marched  toward  the  above  named 
Indians,  but  without  attempting  to  harm  any  one  upon  the  road. 
The  traveller  passed  by  them  without  receiving  any  injury,  and 
the  inmates  of  the  lowly  hut  experienced  no  outrage.  There  is 
little  doubt  but  this  amicable  disposition  would  have  continued 
had  not  the  whites  been  the  first  to  shed  blood.  Five  or  six 
Indians,  in  advance  of  the  main  party,  were  captured,  and  ex- 
cepting one  who  escaped,  pat  to  death  by  a  battalion  of  mounted 
militia.  That  one  brought  the  news  to  Black  Hawk,  who  im- 
mediately determined  on  revenge.  He  accordingly  planned  an 
ambuscade  into  which  the  militia  were  enticed,  fired  upon,  and 
fourteen  of  their  number  killed.     The  remainder  fled  in  disoi'der. 

As  war  had  now  begun,  the  Indians  seemed  resolved  to  do  all 
the  mischief  in  their  power.  Accordingly  they  divided  into  small 
parties,  proceeded  in  different  directions,  and  fell  upon  the  set- 
tlements which  were  at  that  time  thinly  scattered  over  the  greater 
part  of  Illinois.  By  this  means  they  committed  such  outrages 
that  the  whole  state  was  in  the  greatest  excitement.  Governor 
Reynolds  ordered  out  two  thousand  additional  militia,  who,  on 
the  10th  of  June,  assembled  at  Hennepin,  on  the  Illinois  river, 
and  were  soon  engaged  in  pursuit  of  the  Indians. 

On  the  20th  of  May,  1832,  a  party  attacked  v.  ^iinall  settlement 
on  Indian  Creek,  killed  fifteen  persons,  and  took  considerable 
plunder.  On  the  14th  of  June,  five  persons  were  killed  near 
Galena.     General  Dodge  being  in  the  neighbourhood,  imme- 

2P2 


ill 

itel 


i 


'!.'■'   I 


mh. 


p^:l' 


610 


THE  CHOLERA  AMONG  THE  TROOPS. 


diately  marched  with  his  mounted  men  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy. 
After  advancing  about  three  miles,  he  discovered  twelve 
Indians,  whom  he  supposed  to  be  part  of  those  who  committed 
the  murders.  He  commenced  an  active  pursuit,  and  drove  the 
Indians  into  a  swamp.  The  mounted  men  rushed  in  and  Boon 
met  them.  No  resistance  was  made ;  every  Indian  was  killed 
their  scalps  taken  off  and  borne  away  in  triumph. 

Meanwhile  General  Atkinson  was  pursuing  the  main  party, 
under  Black  Hawk,  who  was  encamped  near  the  Four  Lakes, 
Instead  of  crossing  the  country  to  retreat  beyond  the  Mississippi 
as  was  expected,  he  descended  the  Wisconsin,  to  escape  in  that 
direction,  by  which  means  General  Dodge  came  upon  his  track 
and  commenced  a  vigorous  pursuit.  On  the  31st  of  July,  the 
general,  with  about  two  hundred  men,  besides  Indians,  overtook 
him  on  the  Wisconsin,  forty  miles  from  Fort  Winnebago.  The 
Indians  were  in  the  act  of  crossing  the  river.  After  a  short  en- 
gagement they  retreated,  and  it  being  dark  the  whites  eoiild  not 
pursue  them,  without  disadvantage  to  themselves.  In  tliis  en- 
counter Black  Hawk's  party  lost,  as  is  supposed,  about  forty  men, 

The  Indians  were  now  in  a  truly  deplorable  condition ;  several 
of  them  were  greatly  emaciated  for  want  of  food,  and  some  even 
starved  to  death.  In  the  pursuit  previous  to  the  battle,  the 
soldiers  found  several  lying  dead  on  the  road.  Yet  so  far  from 
being  subdued  they  resolved  to  continue  hostilities  as  long  as 
they  were  able. 

Meanwhile  an  army  under  General  Scott,  destined  for  the 
subjugation  of  Black  Hawk,  and  the  removal  of  all  the  mirth- 
western  Indians  to  lands  beyond  the  Mississippi,  had  been 
attacked  by  an  enemy  fer  more  fatal  than  the  Indians.  With 
about  one  thousand  regular  troops,  Scott  sailed  from  Dtifftdo  in 
a  fleet  of  steamboats,  across  Lake  Erie  for  Chicago.  This  was 
early  in  July.  On  the  8th  of  that  month,  the  Asiatic  cholera 
appeared  on  board  the  vessel  in  which  were  General  BmiU  his 
staif,  and  two  hundred  and  twenty  soldiers.  In  six  days  fifty- 
two  men  died,  and  soon  after  eighty  were  put  on  shore  sick  nt 
Chicago. 

In  the  summer  Scott  left  Chicago  with  but  four  Inmdred 
effective  men,  and  hurrying  on  to  the  Mississippi,  joined  General 


BLACK    HAWK    CROSSES    THE    MISSISSIPPI         Ml 


«■! 


; //■ 


General  Scott. 


Atkinson  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  immediately  after  the  battle,  near 
the  Badare  river,  which  resulted  in  the  defeat  of  Black  Hawk. 

Previous  to  this  affair,  a  captured  squaw  had  informed  the 
whites  that  Black  Hawk  intended  to  proceed  to  the  west  side  of 
the  Mississippi,  above  Prairie  du  Chien — ^the  horsemen  striking 
across  the  country,  whilst  the  others  proceeded  by  the  Wiscon- 
sin.   A  number  of  the  latter  were  made  prisoners  on  the  road. 

Meanwhile,  several  circumstances  transpired  to  prevent  the 
escape  of  the  main  body  under  Black  Hawk.  The  first  was  his 
falling  in  with  the  Warrior  steamboat,  (August  1st,)  when  in  the 
act  of  crossing  the  Mississippi.  Wishing  to  escape,  he  displayed 
two  white  flags,  and  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  his  men 
came  to  the  river  without  arms  and  made  signs  of  submission. 
The  commander  of  the  boat  ordered  his  men  to  fire,  which  they 
did,  and  the  fire  was  returned.  The  engagement  lasted  an  hour, 
when  the  wood  of  the  steamboat  failing,  it  proceeded  to  the 
Prairie.  The  Indians  lost  twenty-three  killed,  and  a  number 
wounded;  the  whites  had  one  wounded. 


■  4    ;J^  •  t. 


t,  ■    II 


r 


ifes 


m 


512 


PEACE  WITH  THE  SACS  AND  FOXES. 


Next  day,  after  a  toilsome  and  dangerous  march,  General 
Atkinson  overtook  Black  Hawk,  and  immediately  gave  battle. 
Generals  Posey  and  Alexander  marched  down  the  river  with 
the  right  wing,  and  stationed  themselves  near  the  Indian  encamp- 
ment, in  order  to  prevent  a  retreat.  The  battle  lasted  about 
three  hours,  the  Indians  disputing  the  ground  with  the  greatest 
obstinacy.  Their  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  was  about  two 
hundred ;  that  of  the  Americans  twenty-seven. 

This  action  terminated  the  war,  for  although  Black  Hawk 
escaped,  yet  his  men  continually  deserted  him  and  came  over 
to  the  whites.  Finally  the  warrior  himself  surrendered  to  the 
American  agent  at  Prairie  du  Chien.  In  his  speech  on  this 
occasion,  he  regretted  his  being  obliged  to  close  the  war  so  soon, 
without  having  given  the  whites  much  more  trouble.  He  as- 
serted that  he  had  done  nothing  of  which  he  had  any  reason  to 
be  ashamed,  but  that  an  Indian  who  was  as  bad  as  the  white 
men  would  not  be  allowed  to  live  in  his  community.  He  con- 
eluded  as  follows : 

*'  Farewell,  my  nation !  Black  Hawk  tried  to  save  you,  and 
revenge  your  wrongs.  He  drank  the  blood  of  some  of  the  whites. 
He  has  been  taKen  prisoner,  and  his  plans  are  stopped.  He  can 
do  no  more.  He  is  near  his  end.  His  sun  is  setting,  and  he 
will  rise  no  more.     Farewell  to  Black  Hawk." 

Immediately  after  this  battle.  General  Scott,  as  we  have  men- 
tioned, joined  Atkinson,  but  their  contemplated  operations  were 
for  some  weeks  hindered  by  the  dreadful  scourge,  which  had 
already  fearfully  thinned  the  army.  It  was  late  in  September, 
before  the  disease  was  driven  from  camp.  Negotiations  then 
commenced  with  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  and  were  admirably  con- 
ducted  by  General  Scott,  who  obtained  a  region  of  five  million 
acres  from  the  Indians  on  terms  satisfactory  to  both  parties. 

At  the  return  of  peace.  Black  Hawk  was  taken  to  Washing- 
ton, where  he  had  an  interview  with  President  Jackson.  He 
was  then  conducted  through  the  principal  Atlantic  cities,  and 
every  where  received  with  the  most  marked  attention  and  hos- 
pitality. He  was  then  set  at  liberty  and  returned  to  his  own 
nation.  He  died  on  the  3d  of  October,  1838,  at  his  village  on 
the  Des  Moines  river. 


L  E  8« 


arch,  General 
ly  gave  battle. 
the  river  with 
ndian  encamp- 
B  lasted  about 
th  the  greatest 
vas  about  two 

Black  Hawk 
and  came  over 
endered  to  the 
speech  on  this 
he  war  so  soon, 
ouble.  He  as- 
I  any  reason  to 
d  as  the  white 
inity.    He  con- 

I  save  you,  and 
le  of  the  whites, 
opped.  He  can 
setting,  and  he 

s  we  have  men- 
operations  were 
rge,  which  had 
in  September, 
gotiations  then 
admirably  con- 
of  five  million 
oth  parties, 
en  to  Washing- 
it  Jackson.    He 
antic  cities,  and 
ention  and  hos- 
aed  to  his  own 
it  his  village  on 


66 


■■•»"' l^t'i 


.:  J- 


J.;- 


n' 


Oicaolt. 


THE  FLOUIBA  WAR. 

HILE  Florida  was  a  Spanish 
province,  it  was  a  refuge  for 
disaffected  savages,  whence 
a  system  of  aggression  was 
carried  on  against  the  United 
States.  That,  however, 
which  is  denominated  by 
way  of  pre-eminence  the 
Florida  war,  began  in  1835.  A  treaty  had  been  concluded, 
with  the  Seminole  warriors,  by  which  they  agreed  to  relin- 
quish all  the  land  for  a  certain  sum,  and  to  retire  beyond  the 
Mississippi.  It  was  further  stipulated  that  a  party  of  Indians 
should  visit  the  territory  in  question,  and  give  their  opinion  con- 
cerning it  They  accordingly  proceeded  thither,  and  on  their 
return^  reported  very  favourably  of  the  country. 

615 


W'  J 


s'-X'M 


510 


OUTRAGES    COMMITTED. 


f  ,i 


J  1l 

mini '  '1 


Every  thing  now  promised  a  speedy  conformity  to  the  wishes 
of  the  American  government.  But  at  this  important  moment, 
John  Hext,  one  of  the  chief  men  of  the  tribe,  who  exerted  over 
it  a  very  great  influence,  died.  This  opportunity  for  self-ag- 
grandizement was  seized  by  the  celebrated  Osoeola,  or  Powell, 
who  quickly  rose  to  the  same  importance  as  Hext  himself  But 
he  wielded  it  for  far  different  purposes.  He  was  utterly  opposed 
to  emigration,  and  by  every  art  in  his  power,  inflamed  the  minds 
of  the  people  against  that  measure,  and  against  the  whites  them- 
selves. His  conduct  became  at  length  so  violent  that  he  was 
arrested  by  the  Indian  agent,  and  put  in  irons";  but  on  subse- 
quently professing  to  renounce  his  opposition  he  was  released. 

On  the  19th  of  July,  1836,  five  Indians,  who,  for  the  purpose 
of  hunting,  had  met  by  appointment,  near  Hogstown  settlement, 
were  attacked  by  a  party  of  white  men,  and  flogged  with  cow- 
hide  whips.  "While  this  was  going  on,  two  other  Indians  arrived, 
who  raised  the  war-whoop  and  fired  upon  the  whites.  The  firing 
was  returntd,  one  of  the  Indians  killed  and  the  other  wounded. 
Three  of  the  whites  were  also  wounded. 

On  the  evening  of  August  6th,  Dalton,  the  mail  carrier  from 
Camp  King  to  Tampa  Bay,  was  murdered  by  a  party  of  red 
men.  When  news  of  this  outrage  reached  Genei-al  Thompson, 
the  Indian  agent,  he  convened  the  principal  chiefs,  who  promised 
to  bring  the  offenders  to  justice.  This  was  not  done ;  and  it 
soon  became  evident  that  a  formidable  opposition  would  in  a 
little  while  burst  forth  against  the  settlers  of  Florida.  The 
savages  retired  into  the  wilds  and  forests,  collected  arms,  and 
avoided  as  much  as  possible  all  intercourse  with  the  whites. 

In  September,  Charley  Amathla,  a  friendly  chief  of  great  in- 
fluence, while  journeying  with  his  daughter  was  shot  by  some 
M:!ckasukies,  led  by  Osceola.  Similar  outrages  increased  so 
fast,  that  the  interior  settlements  were  abandoned,  families  de- 
serted the  products  of  many  years'  labour  and  fled  to  other  states, 
and  the  commandant  of  the  region.  General  Clinch,  was  obliged 
to  call  on  the  government  for  larger  forces  to  resist  the  Indians. 
The  general's  force  numbered  but  two  hundred  and  fifty  men; 
and  receiving  no  assistance  from  President  Jackson,  he  obtained 
six  Hundred  and  fifty  militia  from  the  executive  of  Florida. 


DESTRUCTION    OF    DADE*S    DETACHMENT.  617 

With  this  reinforcement  he  marched  against  the  station  on  the 
Ouithlacoochee  river.  .  V 

On  the  23d  of  December,  the  companies  of  Captains  Gardinei 
and  Frazer,  of  the  United  States  army,  marched,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Major  Dade,  from  Tampa  Bay  for  Camp  King.  On 
the  road,  Dade  wrote  to  Major  Belton,  urging  him  to  forward  a 
six-pounder,  which  had  been  left  four  miles  behind,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  failure  of  the  team  which  was  to  have  been  used 
in  transporting  it.  Three  horses  were  purchased  with  the  ne- 
cessary harness,  and  it  joined  the  column  that  night.  From  this 
time  no  more  was  heard  of  the  detachment  until  the  29th  of  De- 
cember, when  John  Thomas,  one  of  the  soldiers,  returned,  and 
on  the  31st,  Rawson  Clarke.  The  melancholy  fate  of  his  com- 
panions was  related  by  the  latter  as  follows : 

"  It  was  eight  o'clock.  Suddenly  I  heard  a  rifle  shot  in  the 
direction  of  the  advanced  guard,  and  this  was  immediately  fol- 
lowed by  a  musket  shot  from  that  quarter.  Captain  Frazer  had 
ridden  by  me  a  moment  before,  in  that  direction.  I  never  saw 
him  afterwards.  I  had  not  time  to  think  of  the  meaning  of  these 
shots  before  a  volley,  as  if  from  a  thousand  rifles,  was  poured  in 
upon  us  from  the  front,  and  all  along  our  left  flank.  I  looked 
around  me,  and  it  seemed  as  if  I  was  the  only  one  left  standing  in 
the  right  wing.  Neither  could  I,  until  several  other  volleys  had 
been  fired  at  us,  see  an  enemy — and  when  I  did  I  could  only 
see  their  heads  and  arms  peering  out  from  the  long  grass,  far 
and  near,  and  from  behind  the  pine  trees.  The  ground  seemed 
to  me  an  open  pine  barren,  entirely  destitute  of  any  hammock. 
On  our  right  and  a  little  to  our  rear  was  a  large  pond  of  water 
some  distance  off.  All  around  us  were  heavy  pine  trees,  very 
open,  particularly  towards  the  left,  and  abounding  with  long  high 
grass.  The  first  fire  of  the  Indians  was  the  most  destructive, 
seemingly  killing  or  disabling  one  half  of  our  men. 

"  We  promptly  threw  ourselves  behind  trees,  and  opened  a  sharp 
fire  of  musketry.  I  for  one,  never  fired  without  seeing  my  man, 
that  is,  his  head  and  shoulders.  The  Indians  chiefly  fired 
lying  or  squatting  in  the  grass.  Lieutenant  Bassinger  fired  five 
or  six  pounds  of  canister  from  the  cannon.  This  appeared  to 
frighten  the  Indians,  and  they  retreated  over  a  little  hill  to  our 

9x 


1    ■   1 


M  r  ii 


^>-ii-;.^  <| 


I^V' 


"'m.' 


lif;,       i 


518 


DESTRUCTION    OF    DADE  S    DETACHMENT. 


left,  one-half  or  three-quarters  of  a  mile  off,  after  having  fireC 
not  more  than  twelve  or  fifteen  rounds.  We  immediately  began 
to  fell  trees,  and  erect  a  little  triangular  breastwork.  Some  of 
us  went  forward  to  gather  the  cartridge  boxes  from  the  dead, 
and  to  assist  the  wounded.  I  had  seen  Major  Dade  fall  to  the 
ground  by  the  first  volley,  and  his  horse  dashed  into  the  midst 
of  the  enemy.  Whilst  gathering  the  cartridges,  I  saw  Lieute- 
nant Mudge,  sitting  with  his  back  reclining  against  a  tree,  and 
evidently  dying.  I  spoke  to  him,  but  he  did  not  answer. 
The  interpreter,  Louis,  it  is  said,  fell  by  the  first  fire.* 

"  We  had  barely  raised  our  breastwork  knee-high,  when  we 
again  saw  the  Indians  advancing,  in  great  numbers,  over  the  hill  to 
our  left.  They  came  on  boldly  till  within  long  musket-shot,  when 
they  spread  themselves  from  tree  to  tree  to  surround  us.  We 
immediately  extended  as  light  infantry,  covering  ourselves  by 
the  trees,  and  opening  a  brisk  fire  from  cannon  and  musketry. 
I  do  not  think  that  the  former  could  have  done  much  mischief, 
the  Indians  were  so  scattered. 

"  Captain  Gardiner,  Lieutenant  Bassinger,  and  Dr.  Gatlen  were 
the  only  officers  left  unhurt  by  the  volley  which  killed  Major 
Dade.  Lieutenant  Henderson  had  his  left  arm  broken,  but  he 
continued  to  load  and  fire  his  musket,  resting  on  the  stump  until 
he  was  finally  shot  down.  Toward  the  close  of  the  second 
attack,  and  during  the  day  he  kept  up  his  spirits  and  cheered 
the  men.  Lieutenant  Keyes  had  both  his  arms  broken  in  the 
first  attack ;  they  were  bound  up  and  slung  in  a  handkerchief, 
and  he  sat  for  the  remainder  of  the  day,  until  he  was  killed,  re- 
clining against  the  breastwork,  his  head  often  reposing  upon  it, 
regardless  of  every  thing  that  was  passing  around  him. 

"  Our  men  were  by  degrees  all  cut  down.  We  had  maintained 
a  steady  fire  from  eight  until  two  p.  m.,  and  allowing  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour  interval  between  the  first  and  second  attack, 
had  been  pretty  busily  engaged  for  more  than  five  hours.  Lieu- 
tenant Bassinger  was  the  only  officer  left  alive,  and  he  severely 
wounded.     He  told  me,  as  the  Indians  approached,  to  lie  do^vn 


*Thi8  individual  merely  feigned  death,  and  on  being  found  by  the  Indians,  vu 
•pared,  and  read  to  them  all  the  despatches  and  letters  found  about  the  dead. 


[  M  E  N  T. 

er  having  fireil 
mediately  began 
vork.  Some  of 
from  the  dead, 
Dade  fall  to  the 
I  into  the  midst 
s,  I  saw  Lieute- 
ainst  a  tree,  and 
3id  not  answer. 
;t  fire.* 

}-high,  when  we 
rs,  over  the  hill  to 
asket-shot,  when 
rround  us.  We 
ing  ourselves  hy 
I  and  musketry. 
i  much  mischief, 

IDr.  Gatlenwere 
Lch  killed  Major 
n  broken,  but  he 
I  the  stump  until 
e  of  the  second 
its  and  cheered 
LS  broken  in  the 
I  a  handkerchief, 
le  was  killed,  re- 
reposing  upon  it, 
nd  him. 
had  maintained 
allowing  three- 
id  second  attack, 
ive  hours.  Lieu- 
and  he  severely 
bed,  to  lie  dovm 


\  by  the  Indians,  wm 
ut  the  dead. 


k-:  v;:r 


■-.K;? 


I  ^'11 


DESTRUCTION    OP    DADE's    DETACHMENT.  621 


f  I 


n 


MIcanop*. 


and  feign  myself  dead.  I  looked  through  the  logs  and  saw  the 
savages  approaching  in  great  numbers.  A  hea^y  made  Indian 
of  middle  stature,  painted  down  to  the  waist,  and  whom  I  sup- 
posed to  have  been  Micanope,  seemed  to  be  the  chief.  He  made 
them  a  speech,  frequently  pointing  to  the  breastwork.  At  length 
they  charged  into  the  work.  There  was  none  to  oflfer  resistance, 
and  they  did  not  seem  to  suspect  the  wounded  being  alive — 
offering  no  indignity,  but  stepping  about  carefully,  quietly 
stripping  off  our  accoutrements,  and  carrying  away  our  arms. 
They  then  retired  in  a  body,  in  the  direction  from  whence  they 
came. 

"Immediately  after  their  retreat,  forty  or  fifty  negroes  and  In- 
dians on  horseback,  galloped  up,  alighted,  and  having  tied  their 
beasts,  commenced,  with  horrid  shouts  and  yells,  the  butchering 
of  the  wounded,  together  with  an  indiscriminate  plunder,  strip- 
ping the  dead  of  clothing,  watches,  and  money,  and  splitting  open 
the  heads  of  all  who  showed  the  least  signs  of  life  with  their 
axes  and  knives.  This  bloody  work  was  accompanied  with 
obscene  and  taunting  derision,  and  oft  repeated  shouts. 


^I't' 


%^ ', 


||;H*» 


:f:^ 


2zS 


66 


#F*' 


523         DESTRUCTION    OF    DADE'S    DETACHMENT. 


lEUTENANT  BASSINGER, 
hearing  tne  negroes  and  Indians 
butchering  the  wounded,  at 
length  sprang  up,  and 
asked  them  to  spare  his 
life.  They  met  him  \vit]j 
the  blows  of  their  axes 
and  their  fiendish  laughter. 
Having  been  wounded  in 
five  different  places  myself, 
I  was  pretty  well  cover- 
ed with  blood ;  and  two 
scratches  that  I  had  re- 
ceived on  the  head  gave  me  the  appearance  of  having  been  shot 
through  the  brain :  for  the  negroes,  after  catching  me  up  by  the 
heels,  threw  me  down,  exclaiming  that  I  was  dead  enough. 
Then,  stripping  me  of  my  clothes,  shoes,  and  hat,  they  left  me. 
After  serving  all  the  dead  in  this  manner  they  trundled  off  the 
cannon  in  the  direction  the  Indians  had  gone,  and  went  away. 
I  saw  them  shoot  down  the  oxen  in  their  gear  and  bum  the 
wagon. 

"  One  of  the  other  soldiers  who  escaped,  says  they  threw  the 
cannon  in  a  pond,  and  burned  its  carriage  also.  Shortly  after 
the  negroes  went  away,  one  Wilson,  of  Captain  Gardiner's  com- 
pany, crept  from  under  some  of  the  dead  bodies,  and  seemed  to 
be  hardly  hurt  at  all.  He  asked  me  to  go  with  him  back  to  the 
fort,  and  I  was  going  to  follow  him,  when,  as  he  jumped  over 
the  breastwork,  an  Indian  sprang  from  behind  a  tree  and  shot 
him  down.  I  then  lay  quiet  until  nine  o'clock  that  night,  when 
D.  Long,  the  only  living  soul  beside  myself,  and  I  started  upon 
our  journey.  We  knew  it  was  nearest  to  go  to  Fort  King,  but 
we  did  not  know  the  way,  and  had  seen  the  enemy  retreat  in 
that  direction.  As  I  came  out  I  saw  Dr.  Gatlen  lying  stripped 
amongst  the  dead.  The  last  I  saw  of  him  whilst  living,  was 
kneeling  behind  the  breastwork,  with  two  double-barrel  guns 
by  him,  and  he  said,  '  Well,  I  have  got  four  barrels  for  them !' 
Captain  Gardiner,  after  being  severely  wounded,  cried  out,  *  I 
can  give  you  no  more  orders,  my  lads,  do  your  best !'    I  last 


MURDER    OF    MRS.   COOLY    AND    CHILDREN. 


523 


Fort  Kin2,  but 


saw  a  negro  spurn  his  body,  saying  with  an  oath,  *  that's  one  of 
their  officers.' 

"  My  comrade  and  myself  got  along  quite  well  until  the  next 
(lay,  when  we  met  an  Indian  on  horseback,  armed  with  a 
rifle,  coming  up  the  road.  Our  only  chance  was  to  separate — 
v^e  did  so.  I  took  the  right  and  he  the  left  of  the  road.  The 
Indian  pursued  him.  Shortly  afterwards  I  heard  a  rifle  shot, 
and  a  little  after  another.  I  concealed  myself  among  some  scnib, 
and  saw  palmetto,  and  after  awhile  saw  the  Indian  pass  looking 
for  me.  Suddenly,  however,  he  put  spurs  to  his  horse,  and 
went  off  at  a  gallop  towards  the  road. 

"  I  made  something  of  a  circuit  before  I  struck  the  beaten 
track  again.  That  night  I  was  a  good  deal  annoyed  by  the 
wolves,  who  had  scented  my  blood,  and  came  very  close  to  me 
The  next  day,  the  30th,  I  reached  the  fort." 

Thus  perished  one  hundred  and  six  men,  under  circumstances 
of  ho])elessness  and  misery,  rarely  equalled  in  modern  warfare. 
Intelligence  of  this  tragic  event  spread  a  degree  of  horror  through- 
out the  country,  lasting  and  powerful ;  and  even  at  the  present 
(lay,  the  name  of  the  gallant,  ill-fated  Dade,  is  a  spell-word  to 
conjure  up  feelings  of  sorrow.  Three  of  the  whole  command 
escaped. 

Soon  after  this  affair,  (January  6th,  1836,)  thirty  Indians 
attacked  the  family  of  Mr.  Cooly,  on  New  river,  while  he  was 
absent  from  home.  They  murdered  Mrs.  Cooly,  three  children, 
and  Mr.  Flinton  their  teacher.  During  this  transaction,  the 
neighbouring  families  made  their  escape  into  the  more  thickly 
settled  territory.  The  fact  that  Cooly  had  long  resided  among 
the  Indians,  learned  their  language,  and  always  treated  them 
with  kindness,  renders  this  massacre  more  atrocious. 

Previous  to  this,  (December  31st,)  General  Clinch  had  had  a 

severe  engagement  with  the  savages,  near  the  Ouithlacoochee 

river.     On  the  29th,  he  had  marched  from  Fort  King  with  a 

considerable  force.     At  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  (31st,)  after 

leaving  all  his  baggage,  provisions,  &c.,  protected  by  a  guard, 

under  Lieutenant  Dancy,  he  pushed  toward  the  ford,  intending 

to  surprise  the  main  body  of  the  Indians  who  were  supposed  to 

be  concentrated  on  the  west  bank.     On  reaching  it  about  day- 
llti  ^ 


ii 

til'' 

||: 

Ii ' ,  ■■ 

|--''r 

'1    '    1   ^    !    ■ 

■1'  ''      "'  '    ' 

■|i   W 

m  1  if" 

Iti 


4        I 

I 


-.,  fits,  frV  th  ■    >l 


W 


i 


524 


INDIAN    CRUELTIES. 


idm 


light,  he  found  instead  of  a  good  ford,  a  deep  and  rapid  stream 
and  no  means  of  crossing  except  in  an  old  and  damaged  canoe. 
Undismayed  by  these  difficulties,  the  troops  eutorud  the  boat 
with  alacrity,  the  dragoons  swimming  their  horsei.  When 
about  one  half  had  succeeded  in  gaining  the  opposite  bank,  the 
battalion  of  regulars,  consisting  of  about  two  hundred  men,  were 
attacked  by  the  enemy,  led  by  Osceola,  and  strongly  posted  in 
the  swamp  and  scrub,  which  extended  from  the  river.  This 
little  band,  aided  by  Colonel  Warren,  Major  Cooper,  and  Lieu- 
tenant Yeoman,  with  twenty-seven  volunteers,  met  the  attack 
of  the  savage  enemy,  nearly  three  times  their  number,  with 
Spartan  valour.  The  action  lasted  nearly  an  hour,  during 
which  time  the  troops  made  three  brilliant  charges  into  the 
swamp  and  scrub,  driving  the  enemy  in  every  direotion ;  and 
although  after  the  last  charge  nearly  one-third  of  their  number 
had  been  cut  down,  they  were  found  sufficiently  firm  and  steady 
to  form  a  new  line  of  battle,  which  gave  entire  protection  to  the 
flanks  and  position  of  crossing.  No  inducement  could  prevail 
on  the  remainder  of  the  army  to  cross  the  river,  and  assist  their 
companions. 

E  AN  WHILE  the  eastern  lettlements  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  San  Augustin  were 
ravaged  by  the  enemy,  many  of  the  inha- 
bitants  slain,  and  the  negroes  carried  away. 
So  disastrous  were  these  ravages,  that  in 
East  Florida,  five  hundred  families  were 
driven  from  their  homes,  and  their  entire 
possessions  destroyed  by  the  Indians. 
During  these  transactions.  General  Gaines,  commander  of  the 
southern  division  of  the  United  States  army,  wos  actively  en- 
gaged in  raising  a  body  of  troops  sufficient  to  supprosH  all  oppo- 
sition. He  reached  Fort  King  on  the  22d  of  Fol)ruary,  and 
whence  moved  down  the  Ouithlacoochee.  On  the  S7th,  lie  had 
a  slight  skirmish  with  the  enemy  at  General  Clinch's  crossing- 
place,  where  he  lost  one  killed  and  eight  wounded.  Next  day 
the  army  was  again  attacked.  Lieutenant  Izard  mortally  wounded, 
one  man  killed  and  two  others  wounded.  Skirmisliing  was  re- 
newed on  the  29th,  one  man  killed  and  thirty-three  wounded 


GENERAL    SCOTT   COURT-M ARTI ALLE D. 


525 


The  general  himself  received  a  shot  in  his  lower  lip.  This  par- 
tisan warfare  was  continued  until  the  5th  of  March,  three  men 
were  wounded  on  the  2d  of  that  month,  and  on  the  4th,  one 
killed  and  two  wounded. 

On  the  5th,  a  number  of  Indians,  headed  by  Osceola,  appeared 
before  General  Gaines's  camp,  and  expressed  their  willingness 
to  terminate  hostilities.  They  were  told  that  on  condition  of  re- 
tiring south  of  the  Ouithlacoochee,  and  attending  a  council  when 
called  on  by  the  United  States  commissioners,  they  should  not 
be  molested.  To  this  they  agreed ;  but  at  this  moment  General 
Clinch,  who  had  been  summoned  by  express  from  Fort  Drane, 
encountered  their  main  body ;  and  supposing  themselves  sur- 
rounded by  deliberate  stratagem,  they  fied  with  precipitation. 
This  unfortunate  accident  put  an  end  to  negotiations  for  that 
time.  Soon  after,  ascertaining  that  he  had  been  superseded. 
General  Gaines  transferred  the  command  to  General  Clinch, 
who  retired  with  his  whole  force  to  Fort  Drane. 

General  Scott  now  received  the  chief  command  in  Florida, 
and  commenced  a  new  plan  of  operations,  which,  as  is  believed, 
would  have  speedily  terminated  the  war ;  but  unexpectedly  he 
was  superseded,  and  summoned  to  Washington  on  court-martial. 
His  trial  eventuated  in  full,  honourable  acquittal  from  all  blame, 
but  meanwhile  he  had  been  superseded  by  General  Jessup.  The 
measures  of  this  officer  were  unimportant. 

The  summer  and  fall  of  1837  passed  away  without  any  pros- 
pect of  a  reconciliation  with  the  Indians ;  but  in  December, 
Colonel  Z.  Taylor,  who  commanded  a  regiment  of  Jessup's  troops, 
came  upon  the  trail  of  the  Indians,  and  commenced  a  vigorous 
pursuit.  On  the  25th,  at  the  head  of  about  five  hundred  men, 
he  came  up  with  about  seven  hundred  Indians,  on  the  banks  of 
the  Okee-cho-bee  lake,  under  the  celebrated  chiefs.  Alligator, 
Sam  Jones,  and  Coacoochee.  This  battle  was  sought  by  both 
parties.  On  the  day  previous  to  the  engagement,  the  colonel 
had  received  a  challenge  from  Alligator,  informing  him  of  his 
position,  and  courting  an  attack.  The  Indians  were  posted  in 
a  thick  swamp,  covered  in  front  by  a  small  stream,  whose  quick- 
sands rendered  it  almost  impassable.  Through  this  the  Ameri- 
cans waded,  sometimes  sinking  to  the  waist  in  mud  and  water, 


W:'M 


;3!(I 


iMrV.^j: 


■  MM- 


s.'e 


BATTLE    OF    OK  E  E-C  H  0-B  E  E. 


fji! 


if. 


and  totally  unable  to  employ  their  horses.  On  reaching  the 
borders  of  the  hammock,  the  advance  received  a  heavy  fire, 
which  killed  their  leader,  (Colonel  Gentry,)  and  drove  them 
back  in  confusion.  The  main  body  then  rushed  into  action,  at- 
tacking the  enemy  under  a  galling  fire,  and  fought  from  half, 
past  twelve  until  three  p.  m.,  although  exposed  to  the  full  range 
of  the  enemy's  fire.  With  one  exception,  every  officer  in  the 
fjth  infantry  was  shot  down,  and  one  of  the  companies  had  b\it 
tV>ur  members  untouched.  The  Indians  were  forced  from  their 
position,  and  driven  a  considerable  distance  toward  the  extremity 
of  Okee-cho-bee  lake. 

Colonel  Taylor  thus  describes  the  appearance  of  the  battle- 
field, together  with  his  operations  immediately  subsequent  to  the 
action : 

"  Here  I  trust  I  may  be  permitted  to  say  that  I  experienced 
one  of  the  most  trying  scenes  of  my  life,  and  he  who  could  have 
looked  on  it  with  indifference,  his  nerves  must  have  been  diflfer- 
ently  organized  from  my  own.  Besides  the  killed,  (twenty-six 
in  number,)  there  lay  one  hundred  and  twelve  wounded  officers 
and  soldiers,  who  had  accompanied  me  one  hundred  and  forty- 
five  rniles,  most  of  the  way  through  an  unexplored  wilderness, 
v.ithout  guides,  who  had  so  gallantly  beaten  the  enemy  under 
my  orders,  in  his  strongest  position,  and  who  had  to  be  conveyed 
back  through  swamps  and  hammockr,,  from  whence  v,e  set  out 
^•ithout  any  apparent  means  of  doing  so.  This  service,  however, 
v.si.s  encountered  and  overcome,  and  they  have  been  conveyed 
thws  for,  (Fort  Gardiner,)  and  proceeded  on  to  Tampa  Bay,  on 
rude  litters,  c(  nstructcd  with  the  axe  and  knife  alone,  with  poles 
and  dry  hidrsi — the  latter  ])eing  found  in  great  abundance  at  the 
encampment  of  the  hostiles.  The  litters  were  carried  on  tlie  backs 
of  our  wc;J*  and  tottering  horses,  aided  by  the  residue  of  the 
command,  with  more  ease  and  comfort  to  the  sufferers  than  I 
could  have  supposed  possible,  and  with  as  much  as  they  conld 
have  been  in  ambulances  of  the  most  improved  and  modern  con- 
struct  ion.  *****         *** 

'•  We  left  our  encampment  on  the  morning  of  the  27th  for  the 
Kissamee,  whore  I  had  left  my  heavy  baggage,  which  ploce  we 
reached  about  noon  on  the  28th.     After  leaving  two  companies 


:i  !' 


1  reaching  th« 
i  a  heavy  fire, 
id  drove  them 
into  action,  at- 
ight  from  half. 
)  the  full  range 
'  officer  in  the 
ipanies  had  but 
reed  from  their 
d  the  extremity 

;e  of  the  battle- 
ibsequent  to  the 

t  I  experienced 
who  could  have 
lave  been  differ- 
led,  (twenty-six 
vounded  officers 
dred  and  forty- 
3red  wilderness, 
le  enemy  under 
to  be  conveyed 
ence  we  set  out 
ervice,  however, 
been  conveyed 
Tampa  Bay,  on 
done,  with  poles 
3undance  at  the 
ried  on  tlie  backs 
!  residue  of  the 
sufferers  than  I 
h  as  they  could 
md  modern  con- 

'  the  27th  for  the 
which  ploce  w« 
two  companies 


'■%■  I 


;ll 


COLONEL    TAYLOR    PROMOTED. 


529 


and  a  few  Indians  to  garrison  the  stockade,  which  I  found  nearly 
completed  on  my  return,  by  that  active  and  vigilant  officer,  Cap- 
tain Monroe,  4th  artillery.  I  left  the  next  morning  for  this  place, 
where  I  arrived  on  the  31st,  and  sent  forward  the  wounded  next 
c  ay  to  Tampa  Bay,  with  the  4th  and  6th  infantry,  the  former 
to  halt  at  Fort  Frazer,  remaining  here  myself  with  the  1st,  in 
order  to  make  preparations  to  take  the  field  again  as  soon  as  my 
horses  can  be  recruited,  most  of  which  have  been  sent  to  Tampa, 
and  my  supplies  in  a  sufficient  state  of  forwardness  to  justify 
the  measure." 

"N  consequence  of  this  battle.  Colonel  Tay- 
lor was  enabled  to  advance  further  into 
the  Indian  country  than  any  previous 
commander  had  done.  So  difficult,  how- 
ever, was  the  transportation  of  supplies, 
that  the  Seminoles  were  still  able  to  main- 
tain their  old  fastnesses  among  swamps 
and  forests,  thus  rendering  their  complete 
removal,  and  the  consequent  termination 
of  the  war,  impracticable.  Soon  after  the  battle  the  rank  of 
brevet  brigadier-general  was  conferred  upon  Taylor,  and  in 
April,  1838,  he  was  appointed  to  the  chief  command  in  Florida. 
He  had  several  small  skirmishes  with  the  Indians,  but  could 
never  again  force  them  to  a  general  battle.  Bloodhounds  were 
finally  employed  by  the  army  in  order  to  trace  the  enemy's 
hiding-places ;  but  after  a  full  trial  they  were  found  totally  in- 
competent, and  consequently  abandoned. 

The  most  heart-rending  barbarities  were  committed  about  this 
time  by  the  savages.  A  Mr.  Gray,  with  one  of  his  children  was 
shot  while  sitting  in  the  house  with  his  family.  A  second  child 
shared  the  same  fate,  and  a  third  was  bayoneted.  On  another 
occasion  a  little  boy  was  shot,  and  his  father  wounded.  Soon 
after  a  whole  family  wore  killed,  and  afterwards  burned  with 
their  dwelling.  About  the  same  time  a  widow  and  five  children 
were  butchered.  The  foUo^ving  extracts,  from  the  journals  of 
that  period,  describe  further  atrocities  : 
"  On  Saturday  night  between  nine  and  ten  o'clock,  the  family 

of  Mr.  Green  Chairs,  about  ten  miles  from  town,  (Tallahassee,) 
ay  97 


'v;;- 


1  (, 


530 


ATTACK  ON  COLONEL  HARNEY. 


J' 

i; 


was  attacked  by  the  Indians.  Mrs.  Chairs  was  sitting  by  the 
table  sewing,  surrounded  by  her  interesting  family,  consisting 
of  her  husband  and  six  children.  An  Indian  rifle  was  fired 
and  Mrs.  Chairs  fell  dead.  Mr.  Chairs  instantly  sprang  up,  and 
seizing  his  rifle,  closed  the  doors  and  windows,  and  determined 
to  defend  his  dwellinp^.  He  directed  the  four  elder  children  to 
make  their  escape  by  the  back  door.  One  of  them,  a  young 
lady  of  seventeen,  was  seen  and  pursued  by  the  savages,  but 
wearing  a  black  cloak,  she  was  enabled  to  conceal  herself  in 
some  bushes.  Mr.  Chairs  at  the  same  time  discovered  that  the 
house  had  been  fired ;  and  so  rapid  was  the  progress  of  the 
flames,  that  this  new  danger  and  the  consternation  produced  by 
the  death  of  his  wife,  caused  him  to  forget  his  two  youngest 
children.  He  fled,  leaving  them — and  both  helpless  infants 
were  burned  to  cinders  with  his  dwelling  and  all  it  contained." 

"Two  wagons,"  says  the  Tallahassee  Star  "left  Fort  Frank 
Brook,  on  Monday,  (July,  1839,)  and  after  proceeding  a  short 
distance,  they  were  fired  upon  by  Indians,  from  a  hammock,  and 
two  men  killed.  The  body  of  one  was  afterwards  found  horri- 
bly mutilated,  with  the  eyes  dug  out,  the  throat  cut,  and  other- 
wise disfigured.     The  body  of  the  other  could  not  be  found." 

About  the  same  time  a  small  command  under  Colonel  Harney 
were  attacked  by  a  large  body  of  Indians.  The  particulars  of  this 
aflair  are  thus  given  in  a  cotemporary  journal,  dated  Carey's 
Ferry,  East  Florida,  August,  1839 : 

"  On  the  28th  of  July,  four  dragoons,  two  wounded,  arrived 
here,  and  reported  the  massacre  of  a  large  body  of  Colonel  Har- 
ney's command,  who  were  sent  to  the  Caloosahatchee  to  esta- 
blish a  trading-house  in  conformity  with  Macomb's  treaty.  The 
Indians  had  for  some  time  manifested  the  most  friendly  disposi- 
tions, daily  visiting  the  camp,  and  trading  with  the  sutler.  So 
completely  had  they  lulled  the  troops  into  security,  that  no  de- 
fense was  erected  and  no  guard  maintained.  The  camp  was  on 
the  margin  of  the  river.  At  dawn  on  the  23d  of  July,  the  ene- 
my made  a  simultaneous  attack  on  the  camp  and  the  trading- 
house.  Those  who  escaped  the  first  discharge  fled  naked  to 
the  river,  and  effected  their  escape  in  some  fishing  smacks. 
Colonel  Harney  was  among  them.  The  sergeant  and  four  others, 


INDIAN    CRUELTIES. 


531 


while  descending  the  river,  were  called  to  the  shore  by  a  well 
known  Indian,  who  spoke  English  well,  with  the  assurance 
that  they  would  not  be  harmed.  They  complied,  and  were  in- 
stantly butchered.  Altogether  eighteen  were  killed.  Colonel 
Harney  afterwards  cautiously  approached  the  spot,  and  found 
eleven  bodies  shockingly  mutilated,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty 
Indians  in  the  neighbourhood,  dancing  and  whooping  in  savage 
triumph." 

The  particulars  of  another  "^  ss  perpetrated  in  IfV  "M^. 
thus  given  by  a  St.  Augustine  paper . 

"  It  becomes  again  our  mournful  duty  to  record  the  success- 
ful effusion  of  blood  in  this  ill-fated  territory,  and  the  triumphant 
accomplishment  on  the  part  of  the  Indians  of  an  adventure  bor- 
dering on  romance.  Indian  Key,  a  small  spot  of  not  over  seven 
acres  in  extent,  about  thirty  miles  from  our  main  land,  on  our 
southern  Atlantic  coast,  was  invested  by  seventeen  boats,  con- 
taining Indians,  seven  of  its  inhabitants  murdered,  the  island 
plundered,  and  its  buildings  burned. 

"  About  two  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  7th  instant,  a  Mr. 
Glass,  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  Houseman,  happening  to  be  up,  saw 
boats  approaching,  and  informed  a  person  in  the  same  employ, 
when  they  passed  into  Mr.  Houseman's  garden  and  were 
satisfied  that  the  boats  contained  Indians.  The  Indians  now 
commenced  firing  upon  the  house  of  Mr.  Houseman,  and  Dr. 
Perrine,  the  former  of  whom  with  his  family,  and  Mr.  Charles 
Howe  and  his  family  succeeded  in  escaping  to  boats  and  crossed 
over  to  Tea-table  Key.  The  family  of  Dr.  Perrine  passed 
through  a  trap  door  into  their  bathing-room,  from  whence  they 
got  into  the  turtle  crawl,  and  by  great  efforts  removed  the  logs 
and  escaped  to  the  front  of  Houseman's  store.  They  then  went 
to  a  boat  at  the  wharf  which  six  Indians  had  partly  filled,  and 
were  in  the  store  after  a  further  supply.  They  then  pushed  off" 
and  pulled  with  an  oar,  a  paddle,  and  poles  toward  the  schooner 
Medium.  When  they  had  rowed  a  mile,  they  were  met  by  a  boat 
and  taken  to  the  schooner. 

"  Mr.  Motte  and  wife,  and  Mrs.  Johnson,  a  lady  of  seventy 
years  of  age,  fled  into  an  out-house,  from  whence  Mrs.  Motte 
was  dragged  by  an  Indian,  and  while  in  the  act  of  calling  on  her 


632 


INDIAN    CRUELTIES. 


K'',V--r 


husband,  '  John,  save  me !'  she  was  killed.  Mr.  Motte  shared 
the  same  fate,  and  was  scalped ;  but  the  old  lady,  as  she  was 
dragged  forth,  suddenly  jerking  from  the  Indian,  broke  his  hold 
and  escaped  under  a  house.  Her  grandchild,  a  daughter  of  Mrs. 
Motte,  aged  four  years,  was  then  killed  with  a  club,  and  the  in- 
fant strangled  and  thrown  into  the  water.  This  was  seen  by 
Mrs.  Johnson  from  her  hiding-place ;  but  the  Indians  tiring  the 
building,  she  was  again  forced  to  flee,  and  after  secreting  her- 
self under  Malony's  wharf,  was  finally  rescued.  James  Sturdy, 
a  boy  about  eleven  years  of  age,  hid  himself  in  the  cistern  under 
Mr.  Houseman's  house,  and  was  scalded  to  death  by  the  burning 
building  heating  the  water.  The  remains  of  an  adult  skeleton 
were  found  among  the  ruins  of  Dr.  Perrine's  house,  supposed  to 
be  the  doctor,  as  well  as  that  of  a  child,  thought  to  have  been  a 
slave  of  Mr.  Houseman. 

"  The  Indians  were  what  is  known  as  Spanish  Indians,  and 
were  headed  by  Chekekia,  the  same  chief  who  led  the  party 
that  massacred  the  men  at  Caloosahatchee.  They  obtained  a 
great  amount  of  plunder  from  the  houses  and  stores;  and  whilst 
engaged  in  obtaining  these  articles,  Mrs.  Perrine,  with  her  two 
daughters  and  a  little  son,  reached  a  boat  partially  loaded,  and 
put  off  to  the  schooner  Medium,  lying  at  some  distance.  They 
were  promptly  rescued  by  a  boat  coming  to  their  assistance,  and 
were  taken  to  the  schooner. 

N  Mr.  Houseman  reaching  Tea-table 
Bay,  Midshipman  Murray,  United 
States  Navy,  started  with  his  only 
available  force  of  fifteen  men  and  two 
swivels.  Ten  of  the  men  were  in 
hospital,  so  sick  as  to  be  certainly 
unfit  for  duty ;  but  on  urging  their 
claim  were  permitted  to  accompany 
the  others,  hoping  to  cut  off  the  boats, 
and  thus  prevent  the  escape  of  the  Indians.  On  the  second  fire 
of  his  guns,  they  recoiled  overboard,  and  the  Indians  then  com- 
menced a  fire  upon  his  boat,  from  a  six-pounder  belonging  tc 
Mr.  Houseman,  charged  with  musket-balls,  and  drove  back  ttiis 
active  ofiicer. 


COLONEL    WORTH    ASSUMES    THE    COMMAND.      533 

"  Communication  was  immediately  despatched  to  Lieutenant 
McLaughlin,  who  was  at  Key  Biscayne,  with  the  United  States 
schooners  Flirt  and  Ostego  and  they  proceeded  down.  The  In- 
dians, however,  had  escaped,  after  maintaining  possession  of  the 
island  twelve  hours,  carrying  off  large  quantities  of  powder  and 
other  articles,  and  laying  the  little  settlement  in  ashes.  All 
escaped  save  the  unfortunates  named  above. 

"  Among  all  the  bold  and  lawless  feats  which  have  charac- 
terized the  enemy  during  the  war,  there  is  nothing  that  will 
bear  comparison  with  this.  We  have  seen  the  murdered 
remains  of  the  citizen  and  soldier  almost  within  sight  of  the  gar- 
rison, when  the  white  flag  of  overture  was  waving  to  these  in- 
human rascals  in  acts  of  kindness.  We  have  seen  the  armed 
rider  stricken  by  the  bullet  from  the  covert  of  the  hammock, 
and  the  carriage  of  the  traveller  made  to  receive  the  last  life- 
blood  of  its  occupant.  We  have  seen  the  faithlessness  of  the 
tribe,  even  when  the  humanity  of  the  white  man  was  devising 
every  means  for  its  comfort,  planning  their  accursed  schemes  of 
murder,  and  Caloosahatchee,  the  ground  of  confidence  and  good 
will,  red  with  the  blood  of  our  troops  and  citizens.  But  an  island 
we  had  thought  safe.  As  little  would  we  have  looked  for  an 
avalanche  amid  the  sands  of  Arabia,  or  the  glowing  warmth  of 
the  equator  amid  Greenland's  icy  mountains,  as  an  attack  from 
Indians  upon  an  island.  A  force,  too,  of  seventeen  canoes, 
averaging  five  men  each,  make  a  voyage  of  at  least  thirty  miles 
from  the  main  land,  ransack,  pillage,  and  destroy,  and  return  in 
safety!"  - 

In  1840,  General  Taylor  requested  permission  to  retire  from 
Florida,  which  was  granted,  and  in  April,  General  Armistead 
was  appointed  to  succeed  him.  The  operations  of  this  officer 
were  necessarily  of  the  same  tedious  and  unsatisfactory  charac- 
ter as  most  of  his  predecessors  had  been,  and  in  May,  1841,  he 
was  succeeded  by  Colonel  Worth. 

This  officer  commenced  the  campaign  under  very  unfavour- 
able circumstances,  having  no  less  than  twelve  hundred  men 
sick  and  unfit  for  duty.  On  assuming  command  he  is  said  to 
have  named  the  1st  of  January,  1842,  as  the  time  when  he  hoped 
to  bring  the  war  to  a  close. 


nl 


ii'  ■■ 


I  '■■■      i 


534 


BATTLE    OF    P  A  L  A  K  L  A  K  L  A  H  A. 


kill  .   - 


In  August  the  famous  chief,  Wild  Cat,  surrendered  his  whole 
band,  including  Caicoochee  and  his  family,  at  Tampa.  On 
the  l^ui  the  example  was  followed  by  a  considerable  number  of 
Hospitaki's  party,  and  next  month  by  many  of  the  Tallahassee 
tribe.  Subsequently,  various  chiefs  and  their  bands  were  regu- 
larly  brought  in. 

Nothing,  however,  of  a  decisive  nature  took  place  until  the 
19th  of  April,  1842,  when  Colonel  Worth  found  the  enemy  in 
considerable  force,  strongly  fortified,  near  Okoehumphee  swamp. 
An  immediate  attack  was  made  and  the  Indians  totally  defeated. 
Every  trail  made  in  their  flight  was  taken  and  pursued  until 
dark,  and  renewed  on  the  following  morning,  the  detachments 
marching  each  day,  some  twenty  and  some  thirty  miles.  The 
scene  of  this  battle  was  the  big  hammock  of  Palaklaklaha.  As 
a  reward  for  his  services  in  this  affair,  Worth  was  brevetted  by 
government,  brigadier-general.  Soon  after,  (May  4th,)  Hallush- 
Tustemuggee,  wdth  eighty  of  his  band,  came  to  Palatka  and  sub- 
mitted, and  on  the  12th  of  August,  Colonel  Worth  announced 
in  general  orders,  that  the  Florida  war  was  ended.  This  asser- 
tion, however,  was  premature,  for  hostilities  again  recommenced, 
and  Worth  received  the  surrender  of  a  largo  body  of  Creeks  at 
Tampa. 

The  battle  of  Palaklaklaha  was  the  last  important  incident  of 
the  Florida  war.  Its  close  was  thus  announced  by  President 
Tyler,  in  his  message  of  December  7th,  1^12. 

"The  vexatious,  harassing,  and  expensive  war  which  so  long 
prevailed  with  the  Indian  tribes  inhnl)itin<jf  the  peninsula  of 
Florida,  has  happily  been  terminated :  whereby  our  army  has  been 
relieved  from  a  service  of  the  most  disagreeable  character,  and 
the  treasury  from  a  large  expenditure.  Some  casual  outbreaks 
may  occur,  such  as  are  incident  to  the  close  proximity  of  border 
settlements  and  the  Indians;  but  these,  as  in  all  other  cases,  may 
be  left  to  the  care  of  the  local  authorities,  aided,  when  occasion 
may  require,  by  the  forces  of  the  United  States.  A  sufficient 
number  of  troops  will  be  maintained  in  Florida,  so  long  as  the 
remotest  apprehension  of  danger  shall  exist ;  yet  their  duties 
will  be  limited  rather  to  the  garrisoning  of  the  necessary  posts 
than  to  the  maintenance  of  active  hostilities.     It  is  to  be  hoped 


lercd  his  whole 
t  Tampa.  On 
able  number  of 
the  Tallahas^see 
inds  were  regu- 

place  until  the 
1  the  enemy  in 
umphee  swamp, 
totally  defeated. 
J  pursued  until 
the  detachments 
rty  miles.    The 
ilaklaklaha.    As 
'as  brevetted  by 
ly  4th,)  Hallusli- 
Palatka  and  sub- 
'"orth  announced 
cd.     This  asser- 
in  recommenced, 
Ddy  of  Creeks  at 

rtant  incident  of 
ed  by  President 

ar  which  so  long 
he  peninsula  of 
ur  army  has  been 

e  character,  and 
casual  outbreaks 
)ximity  of  border 

other  cases,  may 
J,  when  occasion 
cs.  A  sufficient 
a,  so  long  as  the 

yet  their  duties 
necessary  posts 

It  is  to  be  hoped 


i 


PRESIDENT  TYLER  8  MESSAGE. 


637 


that  a  territory  so  long  retarded  in  its  growth,  will  now  speedily 
recover  from  the  evils  incident  to  a  protracted  war,  exhibiting 
in  the  increased  amount  of  its  rich  productions,  true  evidences 
of  returning  wealth  and  prosperity.  By  the  practice  of  rigid 
justice  towards  the  numerous  Indian  tribes,  residing  within  our 
territorial  limits,  and  the  exercise  of  parental  vigilance  over  their 
interests,  protecting  them  against  fraud  and  intrusion,  and  at  the 
same  time  using  every  proper  expedient  to  introduce  among 
them  the  arts  of  civilized  life,  we  may  fondly  hope,  not  only  to 
wean  them  from  the  love  of  war,  but  to  inspire  them  with  8 
love  of  peace  and  all  its  avocations.  With  several  of  the  tribes, 
great  progress  in  civilizing  them  has  already  been  made,  '""he 
schoolmaster  and  the  missionary  are  found  side  by  side,  and  the 
remains  of  what  were  once  numerous  and  powerful  nations  may 
yet  be  preserved  as  the  builders  up  of  a  new  name  for  theriii- 
selves  and  their  posterity." 

The  war  with  the  Seminoles  in  Florida,  was  certainly  the 
most  unsatisfactory,  and  least  glorious  one,  in  which  our  country 
has  ever  been  engaged.  Millions  of  dollars  were  expended  upon 
it,  without  any  apparent  result.  The  ablest  generals  of  the 
country,  those  who  had  won  laurels  from  Wellington's  veterans, 
many  years  before,  and  have  since  overthrown  army  after  army 
in  Mexico,  were  baffled  and  enervated ;  the  government  was  dis- 
graced at  home  and  abroad ;  and  a  handful  of  roving,  plundering 
savages,  rendered  one  of  the  finest  portions  of  our  territory  almost 
uninhabitable,  and  its  name  a  spell-word  of  terror,  which  even 
now  frequently  lingers  on  the  ear,  as  the  remembrance  of  some 
distressing  dream.  The  leader  of  the  Indians,  Osceola,  r.  IvHIth- 
standing  his  being  compared  with  the  unfortunate  hero  oi'  x,  lount 
Hope,  was,  at  best,  a  drunken,  lawless  vagabond,  despised  by 
many  of  the  savages  themselves.  Most  of  his  followers  were 
like  himself,  and  almost  all  the  hordes,  who  were  o-cdve  in  their 
outrages  upon  the  whites,  were  composed  of  Indians  and  run- 
away negroes. 

There  is,  however,  much  reason  to  believe  that  the  Florida 
war  was  hastened,  perhaps  actually  caused  by  the  imprudence 
of  the  whites  themselves.  Individual  licenses,  committed  in 
direct  opposition  to  the  vrill  of  government,  and  without  its 

08 


i 


:,1(:  t 


II 


'J  I"  •. 
SI  ■'  /  !  u. 


■m 


■■r 


538 


REFLECTIONS    ON    THE    WAR. 


lii 


knowledge,  led  to  acts  of  retaliation.  These  in  turn  were  revenged, 
until  parties  assumed  an  attitude  to  which  the  only  iltornative 
was  war.  For  some  time  these  petty  outrages  were  merely  re- 
garded as  ordinary  murders,  without  any  train  of  eventful  cir- 
cumstances ;  and  thus  the  Indians  were  enabled  to  plnn  their 
schemes,  and  select  the  most  favourable  fastnesses  for  security. 
But  the  massacre  of  Dade's  command  roused  the  country  from 
its  lethargy.  The  warning,  however,  had  come  too  late;  and 
what  might  have  been  accomplished  without  bloodshed,  if  at^ 
tempted  in  time,  had  now  grown  utterly  unmanageable.     '. 

All  the  Florida  Indians  are  now  transported  to  the  Indian  ter- 
ritory, and  the  possibility  of  another  "  Florida  War"  for  ever 
obviated. 


f !,  (  .  1 


m 


I 


~    r 


were  revenged, 
nly  iltornative 
mtQ  merely  re- 
3f  eventful  cir- 
l  to  plnn  their 
m  for  security. 
e  country  from 
0  too  late ;  and 
iloodshed,  if  at- 
igeable. 
thi  Indian  ter- 
War"  for  ever 


118 


i'l  ^ 


Nitl 

of 
tb(! 


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i] 

ill  I' 


mi 


I  f\ 


I.  i  •■ 


Corpiu  Chriiti. 


WAR  WITH  MEXICO. 
CHAPTER   I. 

Commtncemtnt  of  t^t  pitxitun  Mbu 

HE  federal  form  of  govemmenl 
was  abolished  in  Mexico,  in  the 
year  1835,  in  consequence  of  a 
revohition,  which  transferred  the 
direction  of  affairs  to  General  San- 
•  ta  Anna.  As  military  dictator, 
this  officer  abolished  the  state  go- 
vernments, together  with  the  privi- 
lege of  representatives  in  the  ge- 
neral congress,  and  formed  the 
whole  nation  into  a  central  or  con- 
solidated republic,  of  which  each 
Hiiite  became  a  department.  The  people  of  Texas  and  pari 
(if  Tarnaulipas  declared  this  measure  unconstitutional,  and  when 
tlieir  protestations  were  disregarded,  arose  in  open  revolution. 

3Z  (341) 


542 


ANNEXATION    OF    TEXAS. 


By  aid  of  volunteer  adventurers  from  the  United  States,  they  de- 
feated  Santa  Anna  at  San  Jacinto,  (April  21st,  1836,)  and  soon 
after  established  a  government  of  their  own,  similar  to  that  of 
the  United  States.  Mexico,  however,  refused  to  Eicknowled^e 
their  independence,  and  continued  to  make  efforts  for  the  reco< 
very  of  her  lost  territory. 

In  1837,  the  congress  of  Texas  expressed  their  desire  to  be 
admitted  as  a  state  into  the  American  Union;  but  the  proposal 
was  at  that  time  rejected  by  the  latter.  The  scheme,  however, 
was  revived  under  the  administration  of  President  Tyler,  by 
whom  it  was  very  favourably  entertained ;  but  a  treaty  to  that 
purpose,  signed  by  commissioners  of  both  nations,  was  rejected 
by  the  United  States  senate.  The  measure,  however,  was 
finally  passed  by  the  latter  body,  (March  1st,  1845,)  on  certain 
conditions.  In  the  ensuing  summer  these  were  accepted  by  the 
Texan  congress,  and  thus  the  nationality  of  the  infant  republic 
became  merged  in  that  of  its  powerful  rival. 

Meanwhile  Mexico  was  no  idle  spectator.  When  she  became 
satisfied  that  the  project  of  annexation  was  seriously  entertained 
by  the  American  legislature,  her  minister  at  Washington  was 
instructed  to  use  all  possible  means  to  prevent  the  consumma- 
tion of  the  act.  This  duty  he  faithfully  performed ;  and  when 
advised  that  his  representations  had  been  useless — that  the  reso- 
lution of  annexation  had  passed  the  senate,  he  announced  his 
mission  closed,  declaring  the  scheme  of  annexation  "an  act  of 
aggression  the  most  unjust  which  can  be  found  recorded  in  the 
annals  of  modem  history ;  namely  that  of  despoiling  a  friendly 
nation,  like  Mexico,  of  a  considerable  portion  of  her  territory." 
He  returned  to  Mexico,  and  for  awhile  all  intercourse  with  the 
United  States  was  closed.  So  strong  was  the  popular  feeling 
iigainst  the  measure,  that  President  Herrera,  who  favoured  an 
adjustment  of  the  difficulty  by  treaty,  was  compelled  to  resign, 
and  General  Paredes  elected  to  succeed  him. 

In  September,  President  Polk  authorized  an  inquiry  of  the 
Mexican  government  if  it  would  be  willing  to  receive  a  minister 
extraordinary,  invested  with  ample  powers  for  a  termination  of 
difficulties.  To  this  request  the  Mexican  congress  acceded, 
asking,  meanwhile,  that  during  the  proposed  negotiations,  thf 


PRESIDENT    folk's    MESSAGE. 


543 


American  gulf  squadron  should  be  withdrawn  from  Vera  Cruz. 
This  being  done,  Mr.  Slidell,  the  American  envoy,  proceeded  to 
Mexico.  Unfortunately,  this  was  about  the  time  that  General 
Paredes  assumed  command,  and  the  unsettled  condition  of  the 
country,  together  with  other  events,  caused  that  functionary  to 
withdraw  assent  for  the  intended  negotiations,  on  the  pretence 
that  as  Mr.  Slidell  had  been  authorized  to  attend  to  the  settle- 
ment of  former  difficulties  concerning  Mexican  outrages,  his 
mission  was  not  specially  confined  to  the  Texas  question. 

On  the  1st  of  March,  1846,  Mr.  Slidell  requested  of  the  Mexi- 
can government  an  acknowledgment  of  his  official  character. 
This  was  refused,  and  he  returned,  to  the  United  States. 

Meanwhile  President  Polk  determined  on  sending  an  armed 
force  into  the  territory  of  Texas,  in  order  to  protect  it  from  an 
anticipated  invasion.  His  message  of  December,  1845,  thus  an- 
nounces this  measure  to  congress : 

"  Both  the  congress  and  the  convention  of  the  people  of  Texas 
invited  this  government  to  send  an  army  into  their  territory,  to 
protect  and  defend  them  against  a  menaced  attack.  The  moment 
the  terms  of  annexation  offered  by  the  United  States  were  ac- 
cepted by  Texas,  the  latter  became  so  far  a  part  of  our  country 
as  to  make  it  our  duty  to  afford  such  protection  and  defense.  I 
therefore  deemed  it  proper,  as  a  precautionary  measure,  to  order  a 
strong  squadron  to  the  coast  of  Mexico,  and  to  concentrate  a 
sufficient  military  force  on  the  western  frontier  of  Texas.  Our 
army  was  ordered  to  take  positions  in  the  country  between  the 
Nueces  and  the  Del  Norte,  and  to  repel  any  invasion  of  the 
Texan  territory,  which  might  be  attempted  by  the  Mexican 
forces. 

"  Our  squadron  in  the  gulf  was  ordered  to  co-operate  with  the 
army.  But  though  our  army  and  navy  were  placed  in  a  posi- 
tion to  defend  our  own  and  the  rights  of  Texas,  they  were 
ordered  to  commit  no  act  of  hostility  against  Mexico,  unless 
she  declared  war,  or  was  herself  the  aggressor  by  striking  the  first 
blow,  *         ^         ^         ^         ^        *        ^    ^    ^        ^ 

"  When  orders  were  given  during  the  past  summer  for  concen- 
trating a  military  force  on  the  western  frontier  of  Texas,  our 
troops  were  widely  dispersed,  and  in  small  detachments  occupy- 


11 

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544         ORDERS  TO  GENERAL  TAYLOR. 

ing  posts  remote  from  each  other.  The  prompt  and  expeditious 
manner  in  which  an  army,  embracing  more  than  one  half  of  our 
peace  establishment,  was  drawn  together,  on  an  emergency  so 
sudden,  reflects  great  credit  on  the  officers  who  were  intrusted 
with  the  execution  of  these  orders,  as  well  as  upon  the  discipline 
of  the  army  itself." 

The  presence  of  this  force,  in  Texas,  was  no  doubt  one  reason 
for  the  rejection  of  Mr.  Slid  ell. 

On  the  21st  of  March,  1845,  General  Zachary  Taylor  was  ap. 
pointed  commander-in-chief  of  the  "  Corps  of  Observation,"  with 
orders  to  hold  the  forces  under  his  command,  ready  to  enter  Texas 
whenever  directed.  On  the  15th  of  June  he  was  apprized  of 
the  probable  speedy  acceptance  of  the  terms  of  annexation  by 
the  Texan  congress,  and  received  orders  of  a  voiiiidential  nature 
to  enter  the  annexed  territory.  The  instructions  to  this  etfect 
(written  by  Mr.  Bancroft,  during  the  sickness  of  Secretary 
Marcy)  were  as  follows : 

"  In  anticipation  of  that  event,  [the  above-mentioned  action  of 
the  Texan  congress,]  you  will  forthwith  make  a  forward  move- 
ment with  the  troops  under  your  command,  and  advance  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Sabine,  or  to  such  other  point  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
or  its  navigable  waters,  as  in  your  judgment  will  be  most  con- 
venient for  an  embarkation,  at  the  proper  time,  for  the  western 
frontier  of  Texas.  ******  The  point  of  your 
tdtimate  destination  is  the  western  frontier  of  Texas,  where  you 
will  select  and  occupy  on  or  near  the  Rio  Grande  del  Norte, 
such  a  site  as  will  consist  with  the  health  of  your  troops,  and 
will  be  best  adapted  to  repel  an  invasion,  and  to  protect,  what, 
in  the  event  of  annexation,  will  be  our  western  border.  You 
will  limit  yourself  to  the  defense  of  the  territory  of  Texas,  unless 
Mexico  should  declare  war  against  the  United  States." 

In  August  General  Taylor  marched  with  all  his  forces  to 
Corpus  Christi,  where  he  remained  until  March  11th  of  the  next 
year,  when,  under  instructions  from  the  war  department,  he 
broke  up  his  camp  and  pushed  forward  for  the  Rio  Grande.  At 
the  Arroyo  Colorado  he  was  met  by  a  party  of  stragglers,  who 
appeared  disposed  to  oppose  his  crossing ;  but  no  opposition  was 
actually  oflfered.     On  the  24th,  he  took  undisputed  possession  of 


OR. 


ERECTION    OP    FORT    BROWN. 


645 


i  and  expeditious 
n  one  half  of  our 
m  emergency  so 
lo  were  intrusted 
on  the  discipline 

doubt  one  reason 

y  Taylor  was  ap. 
Dservation,"  with 
dy  to  enter  Texas 
was  apprized  of 
)f  annexation  by 
niildential  nature 
ons  to  this  etfect 
less  of  Secretary 

mtioned  action  of 
a  forward  move- 
id  advance  to  the 
e  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
will  be  most  con- 
for  the  western 
le  point  of  your 
Texas,  where  you 
rande  del  Norte, 
your  troops,  and 
to  protect,  M'hat, 
rn  border.    You 
y  of  Texas,  unless 
States." 

all  his  forces  to 
1 11th  of  the  next 
ir  department,  he 
Rio  Grande.  At 
)f  stragglers,  who 
no  opposition  was 
ited  possession  of 


Point  Iiabal. 


Point  Isabel.  Previous  to  this  he  had  been  met  by  a  deputa- 
tion, protesting  against  his  march,  and  threatening  war  if  it  were 
persisted  in.  Some  buildings  at  the  point  were  fired  by  the 
Mexicans,  but  the  conflagration  was  arrested  by  Colonel  Twiggs. 
Leaving  at  this  place  four  hundred  and  fifty  men,  with  ten  can- 
non and  ample  supplies  of  powder  and  ball,  under  Major  John 
Munroe,  General  Taylor  continued  his  advance.  On  the  28th 
he  erected  the  national  flag  on  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
opposite  Matamoras.  - 

On  the  following  day  Brigadier-General  Worth,  with  his  staflf, 
crossed  the  river,  with  despatches  to  the  municipal  authorities. 
He  was  met  by  a  Mexican  delegation,  the  reception  of  the  papers 
declined,  and  his  request  of  an  interview  with  the  American 
consul  refused. 

This  unpropitibus  affair  was  but  the  commencement  of  diffi- 
culties. Immediately  after,  all  communication  with  General 
Taylor  was  closed,  and  symptoms  of  approaching  war  daily 
multiplied.  In  order  to  prepare  for  it.  General  Taylor  com- 
menced the  erection  of  a  fort,  to  be  defended  by  extensive  works, 
More  than  one  thousand  men  were  employed  upon  it  night  and 
day.  This  redoubt,  under  the  name  of  Fort  Brown,  subsequently 

SzS  69 


■  \'  'i 


I 


ti46 


MURDER    OP    COLONEL    CROSS. 


Ji  ( 


I*     '-% 


I 


became  famous  for  its  successful  defense  against  the  bombard- 
ment of  the  enemy,  and  for  the  death  of  its  defender,  Major 
Jacob  Brown. 

The  death  of  Colonel  Truman  Cross,  the  first  victim  of  l;he 
Mexican  war,  occurred  on  the  10th  of  April.  This  officer  was 
in  the  habit  of  riding  out  every  morning  for  the  purpose  of  ex- 
ercise, and  on  this  occasion  w^as  observed  to  remain  from  camp 
longer  than  usual.  This  circumstance  occasioned  many  fears 
in  camp,  especially  as  the  country  was  known  to  abound  in  num- 
bers of  lawless  ranch  eros,  who  respected  neither  friend  nor  foe. 
Small  parties  were  despatched  in  every  direction,  but  without 
being  able  to  obtain  any  information  of  him.  General  Taylor 
wrote  to  the  authorities  of  Matamoras,  but  they  avowed  their 
entire  ignorance  of  the  colonfl's  fate.  Eleven  days  passed 
in  a  state  of  suspense,  mingled  with  the  faint  hope  that  notwith- 
standing the  protestations  of  the  Mexicans,  he  was  a  prisoner  in 
Matamoras. 

On  the  21st,  the  melancholy  truth  was  ascertained.  A  strag- 
gler entered  camp,  and  stated  that  the  body  of  an  American 
officer  lay  at  some  distance  off.  He  guided  a  party  to  a  thicket, 
in  which  lay  the  colonel's  remains.  The  spot  was  at  a  short 
distance  from  a  road  leading  near  the  river.  The  body  had  been 
stripped,  and  the  flesh  torn  from  it  by  vultures.  The  remains 
were  recognized  principally  by  the  teeth,  scalp,  the  stock,  and 
one  shoulder  strap.  11  r  is  said  to  have  been  t  lounded  by  a 
party,  commanded  by  the  notorious  Romano  Falcon.  The  men 
were  anxious  to  carry  him  into  Mexico,  but  to  this  their  leader 
objected,  and  on  finding  his  followers  resolute,  he  shot  the  colo- 
nel with  a  pistol. 

The  remains  were  interred  with  military  honours  on  the  26th. 
The  funeral  escort  was  composed  of  a  squadron  of  dragoons  and 
eight  companies  of  infantry,  the  whole  superintended  by  Colonel 
Twiggs.  It  was  a  solemn  pageant,  witnessed  by  thousands  of 
friends  and  foes,  and  threw  a  deep  melancholy  over  the  whole 
American  army.  "  The  high  rank  of  the  deceased,"  says  Ge- 
neral Taylor,  in  his  order  of  the  previous  day,  "  and  the  ability 
and  energy  which  he  carried  into  the  discharge  of  the  important 
duties  of  his  office,  will  cause  his  loss  to  be  severely  felt  in  the 


AMPUDIA    ARRIVES    IN    MATAMORAS. 


647 


service ;  while  the  untoward  circumstances  of  his  demise  will 
render  it  peculiarly  afflicting  to  his  family  and  personal  friends.*' 

When  news  of  this  event  reached  the  United  States  it  caused 
much  excitement.  All  felt  it  to  be  but  the  prelude  to  that  whole- 
sale slaughter,  inseparable  from  the  fearful  policy  of  a  national 
appeal  to  arms.     Niles's  National  Register  thus  notices  it : 

"  War  is  a  horrible  evil.  The  news  of  the  death  of  the  first 
victim  in  this  new  war  into  which  our  country  is  plunged,  has 
brought  with  it  a  deepening  sense  of  the  evils,  inseparable  from 
the  mad  conflict  of  man  with  man,  be  the  occasion  what  it  may. 
An  acquaintance  formed  in  early  life — a  warm  and  steadfast 
friend  from  the  commencement  of  that  acquaintance,  a  generous, 
open-hearted,  ardent,  intelligent  and  talented  man^-one  who  was 
in  all  attributes  a  man  among  men — is  the  first  victim.  His 
father  forty  years  since,  through  many  an  ardent  struggle,  poli- 
tical and  national,  was  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  us  in  war,  with 
arms  in  his  hand,  and  in  peace  or  war,  with  as  ardent  patriotism 
at  heart  as  ever  animated  a  citizen  or  a  republican.  His  son  is 
snatched  from  our  hopes  as  well  as  from  a  wide  circle  of  friends, 
and  from  his  own  wife,  now  widowed  and  left  with  her  orphans 
to  a  life — ^how  desolate  and  lonely !  Wreaths  may  encircle  the 
brow  of  victors  in  the  coming  contest ;  but  what  shall  compensate 
for  sufferings  of  which  this  is  but  a  type  of  what  must  be  the 
price  at  which  they  are  purchased. 

Previous  to  this  (April  11th)  General  Ampudia  entered  Matar 
moras  with  large  reinforcements,  and  assumed  supreme  com- 
mand. The  occasion  was  one  of  exultation  to  the  inhabitants. 
On  the  following  day  he  addressed  a  note  to  General  Taylor, 
requesting  him  to  break  up  his  camp  and  march  for  the  Rio 
Nueces  within  twenty-four  hours.    It  concludes  as  follows : 

"  If  you  insist  in  remaining  upon  the  soil  of  the  department 
of  Tamaulipas,  it  will  clearly  result  that  arms,  and  arms  alone, 
must  decide  the  question ;  and  in  that  case  I  advise  you  that  we 
accept  the  war  to  which  with  so  much  injustice  on  your  part  you 
provoke  us,  and  that  on  our  part  this  war  shall  be  coveted  con- 
formably to  the  principles  of  the  most  civilized  nations :  that  is 
to  say,  that  the  laws  of  nations  and  of  war  shall  be  the  guide  of  my 
operations ;  trusting  that  on  your  part  the  same  will  be  observed." 


'U^ 


i'r>  ^  '' 


548       TAYLOR  *S    DESCRIPTION    OP    MIS    POSHION. 


t 


4 


ii:  ' 


In  his  answer  to  the  above,  General  Taylor  replied,  "  The  in- 
structions under  which  I  am  acting,  will  not  permit  nie  to  retro- 
grade from  the  position  I  now  occupy.  In  view  of  the  relations 
between  our  respective  governments,  and  the  individual  suffer- 
ing which  may  resuir,  I  regret  the  altonmtive  which  you  ofler; 
but  at  the  same  time  wish  it  uncJerstood,  that  I  shall  by  no  means 
avoid  such  alternative,  leaving  the  responsibility  with  those  who 
rashly  commence  hostilities." 

Ampudia  did  not  attempt  the  enforcement  of  his  threat,  and 
General  Taylor  continued  the  strengthening  of  his  fortifications. 
"We  have  a  field-work  under  way,"  ho  observes  in  a  letter, 
"  besides  having  erected  a  strong  battery  and  a  number  of  build- 
ings for  the  security  of  our  supplies,  in  atldition  to  some  respect- 
able works  for  vheir  protection.  Wo  have  mounted  a  respectable 
battery,  two  pieces  of  which  are  long  eighteen-poimders,  with 
which  we  could  batter  or  burn  down  the  city  of  Matamoras, 
should  it  become  necessary  to  do  so.  When  our  field-work  is 
completed  and  mounted  with  its  proper  armament,  five  hundred 
men  could  hold  it  against  as  many  thousand  Mexicans.    *    * 

"  Fronting  each  other,  and  for  an  extent  of  more  than  two 
miles,  and  within  musket  range  are  batteries  shotted,  and  the 
officers '  and  men,  in  many  instances,  waiting  impatiently  for 
orders  to  apply  the  matches ;  yet  nothing  has  ])een  done  to  pro- 
voke the  firing  of  a  gun,  or  any  act  of  violence." 

The  death  of  Lieutenant  Porter,  who  was  killed  (April  17th) 
by  some  Mexicans  while  searching  for  the  body  of  Colonel  Cross, 
tended  to  exasperate  the  Americans  still  further  against  the  ene- 
my. The  occurrence  is  thus  described  by  an  officer  of  the  ge- 
neral's camp. 

Lieutenant  Dobbins,  3d  infantry,  and  Lieutenant  Porter,  of 
the  4th,  left  camp  on  the  17th  instant,  each  with  a  detachment 
of  two  non-commissioned  officers  and  ten  privates,  to  reconnoiter 
the  surrounding  country,  from  ten  to  twenty  miles,  in  search  of 
a  band  of  robbers  known  to  have  been  in  that  vicinity,  and  who 
were  supposed  to  have  murdered  Colonel  Cross,  and  also  to  learn, 
if  pc -ssible  something  of  his  fate.  The  two  parties  took  different 
directions.  It  rained  hard  during  the  night.  On  the  second  day 
Lieutenant  Porter  met  a  party  of  Mexicans,  one  of  whom  snapped 


DEATH    OF    LIEUTENANT    PORTER. 


549 


his  piece  at  him.  In  return  he  discharged  both  barrels  of  his 
gun  at  the  Mexican,  who  disappeared  in  the  thorny  thicket. 
The  Americans  captured  the  camp  of  the  marauders,  ten  horses, 
saddles,  &c. 

"This  was  at  noon  of  the  19th,  about  eighteen  miles  above 
General  Taylor's  camp,  and  six  from  the  Rio  del  Norte.  The 
lieutenant  continued  his  search,  and  about  four  p.  m.  of  the  same 
day,  fell  in  with  another  party  of  Mexicans,  which,  probably, 
had  been  joined  by  those  whom  he  had  already  left.  It  vas  now 
raining  heavily.  The  Americans  were  fired  on  and  one  of  their 
privates  killed.  They  made  an  attempt  to  return  the  fire,  but 
their  powder  had  been  wetted,  and  they  were  exposed  to  the  full 
range  of  the  enemy  without  the  ability  to  defend  themselves. 
The  lieutenant,  as  was  reported  by  his  sergeant,  made  a  sign 
with  his  hand  for  his  men  to  extend  to  the  right.  The  party 
thus  became  separated  in  the  thickets.  The  sergeant  and  four 
privates  returned  to  camp  on  the  20th,  and  gave  the  above  account 

"  A  detachment  of  thirty  dragoons  was  despatched  early  the 
next  morning  to  reconnoiter  the  position,  and  search  for  Lieute- 
nant Porter  and  those  of  his  party  who  were  missinc^.  They 
returned  the  same  night,  without  having  learned  an^  ihing  of 
them,  the  thickets  being  so  dense  that  it  was  impossible  for 
horses  to  move  through  them.  They,  however,  fell  in  with 
Lieutenant  Dobbins,  who  said  that  he  would  continue  to  look 
for  Lieutenant  Porter  a  day  or  two  longer.  The  next  day,  about 
noon,  the  corporal  and  three  men  of  the  lieutenant's  party  re- 
turned, saying  that  they  feared  he  had  been  killed.  One  of 
them  stated  that  he  had  seen  him  fall  from  his  horse ;  and  another 
that  he  dismounted  and  staggered  towards  a  thicket  while  vol- 
leys of  musketry  were  pouring  around  him." 

A  letter,  dated  the  24th,  gives  the  following  additional  par- 
ticulars: 

"  The  whole  of  Lieutenant  Porter's  party  have  returned  to 
camp,  except  himself  and  the  soldier  who  was  killed  by  the  first 
fire  of  the  Mexicans,  in  the  rencounter  of  the  19th.  Private  Arns, 
who  came  in  last  of  the  company,  states  that  he  was  within  five 
or  six  feet  of  Lieutenant  Porter  when  he  fell.  He  receivisd  a 
ball  which  penetrated  his  thigh,  and  no  doubt  parted  the  jrtery 


7 

1  n  i 


lit 


1   i 


i ; 


f-:1c; 


550 


BLOCKADE  OF  THE  RIO  GRANDE. 


it  '> 


I 


Lf.' 


He  immediately  laid  down,  and  expired  very  soon  afterwarc;; 
The  soldier  previously  killed  lay  within  five  yards  of  him. 

"  Private  Arns  remained  near  the  bodies  of  the  lieutenant  and 
the  soldier  for  some  time,  concealed  in  the  dense  thicket,  and 
hoping  that  relief  would  come  to  bear  the  bodies  away.  lie  was 
at  last  obliged  to  make  his  own  way  to  camp." 

On  the  same  day,  (April  17th,)  two  American  schooners  bound 
for  Matamoras  were  warned  off  the  coast  by  General  Taylor, 
and  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande  declared  to  be  in  a  state  of 
blockade.  This  proceeding  drew  forth  an  angry  letter  from 
Ampudia,  who  threatened  serious  results  m  case  of  its  being 
persisted  in.  The  reply  of  the  general  was  firm  but  temperate. 
He  entered  at  length  into  all  the  circumstances  of  mutual  im- 
portance which  had  transpired  since  his  march  from  Corpus 
Christi,  asserting  the  blockade  to  be  but  a  necessary  consequence 
of  the  state  of  war,  declared  to  exist  by  Ampudia  himself;  and 
that  inasmuch  as  the  measure  had  been  reported  to  govern- 
ment, he  could  not  remove  it  unless  under  orders  therefrom. 
He  concluded  as  follows : 

"  In  conclusion  I  take  leave  to  state  that  I  consider  the  tone 
of  your  communication  highly  exceptionable,  where  you  stigma- 
tize the  movement  of  the  army  under  my  orders  as  '  marked  with 
the  seal  of  universal  reprobation.'  You  must  be  aware  that  such 
language  is  not  respectful  in  itself,  either  to  me  or  my  govern- 
ment; and  while  I  observe  in  my  own  correspondence  the 
courtesy  due  to  your  high  position,  and  to  the  magnitude  of  the 
interests  with  which  we  are  respectively  charged,  I  shall  expect 
the  same  in  return." 

About  this  time  papers  were  circulated  through  the  American 
camp,  addressed  almost  exclusively  to  the  foreigners  of  Taylor's 
army,  urging  them  to  desert  the  cause  in  which  they  were 
engaged.  These  appeals  were  most  artfully  worded,  and  calcu- 
lated to  arouse  every  motive  likely  to  act  to  the  prejudice  of  the 
American  cause.  Arista's  despatch  (dated  April  20th)  concludes 
us  follows : 

"  It  is  to  no  purpose  if  they  tell  you,  that  the  law  for  the  an- 
nexation of  Texas  justifies  your  occupation  of  the  Rio  Bravo  del 
Norte ;  for  by  this  act  they  rob  us  of  a  great  part  of  Tamaulipas, 


1  • 


arista's  circular  inviting  deserters.   561 


Coahuila,  Chihuahua,  and  New  Mexico ;  and  it  is  barbarous  to 
send  a  handful  of  men  on  such  an  errand  against  a  powerful 
and  warlike  nation.  Besides,  the  most  of  you  are  Europeans, 
and  we  are  the  declared  friends  of  a  majority  of  the  nations  of 
Europe.  The  North  Americans  are  ambitious,  overbearing,  and 
insolent  as  a  nation,  and  they  will  only  make  use  of  you  as  vile 
tools  to  carry  out  their  abominable  plans  of  pillage  and  rapine. 

"  I  warn  you  in  the  name  of  justice,  honour,  and  your  own 
interests  and  self-interest,  to  abandon  their  desperate  and  unholy 
cause,  and  become  peaceful  Mexican  citizens.  I  guaranty 
you,  in  such  case,  a  half-section  of  land,  or  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres,  to  settle  upon,  gratis.  Be  wise,  then,  and  just,  and 
honourable,  and  take  no  part  in  murdering  us  who  have  no  un- 
kind feelings  for  you.  Lands  shall  be  given  to  officers,  sergeants, 
and  corporals,  according  to  rank,  privates  receiving  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty-acres,  O'^  stated. 

"  If  in  time  of  action  j  ou  wish  to  espouse  our  cause,  throw 
away  your  arms  and  run  to  us,  and  we  will  embrace  you  as  true 
friends  and  Christians.  It  is  not  decent  nor  prudent  to  say  more. 
But  should  any  of  you  render  important  service  to  Mexico,  you 
shall  be  accordingly  considered  and  preferred." 

Immediately  after  the  blockade  of  the  Rio  Grande,  parties  of 
Mexicans  commenced  crossing  the  river,  spreading  themselves 
so  as  to  occupy  various  positions  along  its  eastern  bank.  These 
crossings  took  place  both  above  and  below  General  Taylor's 
camp ;  and  apprehensive  of  being  surrounded  by  an  overwhelm- 
ing force,  he  despatched  a  reconnoitering  party  in  each  direction. 
The  fate  of  one  of  these,  conducted  by  Captain  Thornton  is  thus 
vividly  described  by  a  journal  of  that  period. 

"  On  the  evening  of  the  23d,  General  Taylor's  spies  brought 
in  intelligence  to  the  effect  that  about  two  thousand  five  hundred 
Mexicans  had  crossed  the  Rio  Grande  to  the  Texas  side,  above 
the  American  fort,  and  about  fifteen  hundred  of  the  same  had 
crossed  below.  The  general  immediately  despatched  a  squad- 
ron of  dragoons  to  each  place  of  crossing,  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
connoitering them  and  ascertaining  their  position.  The  squadron 
ordered  below  was  in  command  of  Captain  Ker ;  the  one  above 
was  commanded  by  Captain  Thornton,  and  composed  of  Captain 


li 


W 


liffi 


If    ! 


!lf 


^iil 


I  '! 


I  1 


I 


OSS   CAPTAIN  Thornton's  command  surprised. 


l^ 


Hardee,  Lieutenants  Kane  and  Mason,  with  sixty-one  privateH 
and  non-commissioned  officers. 

"  The  former  commander,  Captain  Ker,  on  arriving  at  the 
point  where  it  was  supposed  they  had  crossed,  found  that  the 
report  was  false,  but  that  they  had  crossed  above. 

"Thornton's  command  had  proceeded  up  the  Rio  Ornnde 
about  twenty-four  miles,  and,  as  was  supposed,  to  witliin  about 
three  miles  of  the  Mexican  camp,  when  the  guide  refuisod  to  go 
further,  stating  for  his  reason  that  the  whole  country  whh  in- 
fested with  Mexicans.  The  captain,  however,  prnctH'ucd  on 
with  his  command  about  two  miles,  when  he  cnma  to  ii  furm- 
house,  which  was  entirely  inclosed  by  a  chaparral  ffnee,  with 
the  exception  of  that  portion  of  it  which  bordered  on  the  river, 
and  this  was  so  boggy  as  to  be  impassable. 

"  Captain  Thornton  entered  this  inclosure  through  a  pair  of 
bars,  and  approached  the  house  for  the  purpose  of  making  some 
inquiry,  his  command  following  him.  When  the  wliolo  party 
had  entered  the  inclosure,  the  enemy,  having  been  coneettled  in 
the  chaparral,  about  two  thousand  five  hundred  in  ntimbor,  com- 
pletely surrounded  him  and  commenced  firing  upon  his  com- 
mand. He  then  wheeled  his  command,  thinking  he  could  charge 
through  the  enemy,  and  pass  out  where  he  had  entertid,  even 
though  it  should  be  attended  with  considerable  loss.  This  he 
attempted,  but  on  account  of  the  strength  of  the  enoniy,  did  not 
succeed. 

"  At  this  moment  Captain  Hardee  approached  him  for  tlie  pur- 
pose of  suggesting  the  means  to  extricate  themselves,  the  fire  of 
the  enemy  still  continuing.  Thornton's  horse,  having  rticcived 
a  shot,  ran  with  him  toward  the  chaparral  fence,  which  he  lonpcd 
and  plunged  into  a  precipice,  where  he  fell  with  the  Cfiptuin  un- 
derneath, who  remained  insensible  for  five  or  six  hourw.  This 
casualty  placed  Captain  Hardee  in  command,  who  nt tempted 
with  the  residue  to  make  his  escape  by  the  river,  intending,  on 
arriving  at  its  margin,  to  swim  it.  In  this  he  failed,  finding  tlie 
ground  so  boggy  that  he  could  not  reach  the  river.  H(3  then 
returned,  taking  the  precaution  to  keep  out  of  muNkcstry  rnnge, 
dismounted  and  examined  the  arms  of  his  men,  determined  to 
sell  their  lives  as  dearly  as  possible. 


1     J       «i 


TAYLOR*S    COMMUNICATION    INTERCEPTED.      553 

"  Before  he  had  succeeded  in  the  inspection  of  the  arms,  a 
Mexican  officer  rode  up  and  asked  him  to  surrender.  The  captain 
replied  that  if  the  Mexican  general  would  receive  them  as  prisoners 
of  war  and  treat  them  as  the  most  civilized  nations  do,  they 
would  give  themselves  up,  but  on  no  other  condition.  The  officer 
bore  this  message  to  the  commanding  general,  and  returned  with 
the  assurance  that  the  request  should  be  complied  with.  Cap- 
tain Hardee  then  surrendered.  Captains  Thornton  and  Hardee, 
with  Lieutenant  Kane  and  the  residue  of  the  non-commissioned 
officers  and  privates,  were  made  prisoners  of  war,  but  were  re- 
markably well  treated  by  the  enemy." 

This  affair  was  the  virtual  commencement  of  the  war.  It  was 
reported  to  the  commanding  general  as  a  victory  of  the  greatest 
importance,  and  the  Mexican  army  confidently  anticipated  the 
destruction  of  their  invaders.  From  this  time  the  ener  pr  threw 
oflF  the  reserve  which  had  hitherto  characterized  their  movements, 
and  crossing  the  river  in  large  numbers,  spread  themselves  be- 
tween Fort  Brown  and  Point  Isabel.  To  the  American  army, 
this  was  the  most  gloomy  period  of  the  war ;  and  when  intelli- 
gence of  its  position  reached  the  United  States  it  created  a  sen- 
sation, and  deep  anxiety  which  showed  how  intimately  the 
feelings  of  the  people  were  twined  around  that  distant  band. 
But  still  General  Taylor  maintained  his  position,  employing  his 
whole  army  in  the  strengthening  of  his  works ;  and  at  Point 
Isabel  not  only  did  Major  Munroe  employ  all  the  means  which 
had  been  left  with  him,  but  also  landed  the  crews  of  the  vessels 
in  the  harbour,  and  armed  them  as  soldiers. 

At  this  juncture  the  lamented  Captain  Walker  reached  Point 
Isabel,  with  some  Texas  rangers.  As  his  merit  was  well  known 
to  the  major,  he  was  ordered  to  advance  some  distance  beyond 
the  works,  and,  if  possible,  open  a  communication  with  Fort 
Brown.  With  seventy-five  men  he  rode  to  a  position  about 
fourteen  miles  distant;  and  soon  after,  (28th,)  on  learning  that 
General  Taylor  was  surrounded,  he  determined  to  open  a  com- 
munication. After  riding  some  miles,  he  came  suddenly  upon 
a  large  Mexican  force,  which  he  estimated  at  fifteen  hundred, 
drawn  ap  across  the  road.  They  were  nearly  all  mounted.  The 
captain  ordered  his   men  into  some  neighbouring  chaparral, 

3A  70 


'  "•%! 


"4  l  wl 


till 


I 


I  H, 


ir;-. 


554 


TAYLOR    MARCHES    FOR    POINT    ISABEL. 


i->    - 


but  before  this  could  be  effected,  the  enemy  charged,  and  as 
most  of  the  Americans  were  but  raw  recruits,  they  fled  in  con- 
fusion. A  running  fight  ensued ;  the  captain  wa«  pursued  to 
within  cannon-shot  of  Point  Isabel,  and  his  men  dispersed.  The 
loss  of  the  Mexicans  was  about  thirty. 

On  arriving  at  camp,  Captain  Walker  offered  to  renew  his 
effort  to  open  a  communication,  provided  four  men  would  ac- 
company  him,  alleging  that  the  smaller  the  number  on  such  an 
expedition  the  more  chance  of  escape,  in  case  of  an  attack. 
Such  a  proposition  was  regarded  as  desperate;  but  on  six  men 
volunteering,  the  major  granted  the  request,  and  the  intrepid 
ranger  set  out.  By  his  intimate  knowledge  of  the  road,  he  was 
enabled  to  elude  the  enemy  and  reach  Fort  Brown  in  safety. 

As  soon  as  General  Taylor  had  received  information  of  the 
condition  of  Point  Isabel,  he  determined  to  march  with  his  army 
to  its  relief,  leaving  Major  Jacob  Brown  with  six  hundred  men 
and  a  few  cannon  to  defend  the  river  fort.  He  marched  on  the 
1st,  and  reached  the  main  depot  on  the  following  day. 

The  general's  march  was  a  source  of  unbounded  exultation 
to  the  Mexicans.  It  was  reported  in  their  military  orders  as  a 
retreat,  and  the  ruin  of  the  invading  army  began  to  be  confidently 
expected. 

As  a  preliminary  to  this,  the  destruction  of  Fort  Brown  was 
to  be  accomplished.  Accordingly,  on  the  3d,  a  battery  stationed 
in  Matamoras  opened  its  fire  upon  the  works,  and  continued  a 
brisk  cannonade  all  day.  It  was  answered  by  two  eighteen- 
pounders.  At  seven  in  the  evening  the  firing  stopped,  hut  was 
renewed  at  nine,  and  continued  until  midnight.  One  American 
was  killed,  but  very  little  injury  done  on  either  side.  Long 
before  night  Major  Brown  ceased  firing,  in  consequence  of  the 
scarcity  of  ammunition. 

The  cannonade  had  been  heard  at  Point  Isabel,  and  anxions 
to  know  the  result.  General  Taylor  despatched  Captain  May 
with  about  one  hundred  men,  among  whom  was  Walker  and 
ten  rangers,  to  Fort  Brown.  They  set  out  in  the  evening, 
passed  the  enemy's  camp  under  cover  of  the  night  and  halted 
by  some  chaparral  within  seven  miles  of  the  fort.  Captain 
Walker  then  proceeded  with  his  party,  arrived  at  the  worl(8, 


BOMBARDMENT    OF    FORT    BROWN. 


555 


.>\ 


und  on  announcing  his  name  was  admitted.  He  was  detained 
80  long  that  May  was  obUged  to  return  without  him ;  but  on  the 
5tb,  to  the  great  joy  of  General  Taylor  and  the  army,  he  arrived 
safely.  Within  some  miles  of  the  point,  he  had  met  a  body  of 
lancers,  whom  he  charged  and  drove  some  miles ;  his  escape, 
however,  from  the  Mexican  army,  whose  scouts  were  in  active 
watch  for  him,  seems  little  less  than  miraculous.  He  reported 
to  the  general  the  gratifying  intelligence  that  Major  Brown  vi^as 
still  confidently  maintaining  his  position. 

At  daylight  on  the  5th,  the  garrison  at  Fort  Brown  observed 
a  buttery  in  a  field  to  the  east,  which  soon  opened  its  fire.  The 
Americans  were  thus  placed  between  two  fires,  which  continued, 
with  slight  intermission,  all  day.  They  were  renewed  on  the 
Otli,  on  the  morning  of  which  day  Major  Brown  was  mortally 
wounded  by  a  bomb  shell,  and  the  command  devolved  on  Cap- 
tiiiii  Hawkins.  In  the  evening  that  officer  was  summoned  to 
surrender,  and  on  refusing,  the  firing  was  commenced  with 
grpiit(ir  vigour  than  ever,  ceasing  only  when  on  the  8th  another 
distiiut  noise  assured  friend  and  foe  that  Generals  Taylor  and 
Arista  had  met  in  general  batJe.  On  the  9th  it  recommenced, 
but  was  finally  terminated  by  the  defeat  of  Arista. 


)i 


'III 


120 


Capture  of  Captain  Thornton. 


P56 


BATTLE     OF     PALO     ALTO. 


iW' 


]-:iy 


Fort  Brown. 


CHAPTER   II. 

PON  the  8th  of  May,  General  Taylor 
at  the  head  of  his  small  army,  n umber- 
ing twenty -three  hundred,  came  in 
sight  of  six  thousand  Mexicans,  at  Palo 
He  had  left  Point  Isabel  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  7th,  and  after  marching  some  miles 
encamped  in  battle  array.  The  march  was 
resumed  next  morning.  He  thus  describes 
the  battle. 
"Aoout  noon,  when  our  advance  of  cavalry  had  r«mched  the 
water-hole  of  '  Palo  Alto,*  the  Mexican  troops  were  reported 
in  our  front,  and  were  soon  discovered  occupying  the  road  in 
force.  I  ordered  a  halt  on  reaching  the  w^ater,  with  a  view  to 
rest  and  refresh  the  men  and  form  deliberately  our  line  of  battle. 
The  Mexican  line  was  now  plainly  visible  across  the  prairie, 
and  ^bout  three-quarters  of  a  mile  distant.     Their  left,  which 


BATTLE    OF    PALO    ALTO 


557 


Battle  of  Palo  Alto. 


was  composed  of  a  heavy  force  of  cavalry,  occupied  the  road, 
resting  upon  a  thicket  of  chaparral,  while  masses  of  infantry 
were  discovered  in  succession  on  the  right,  greatly  outnumber- 
ing our  own  force. 

"Our  line  of  battle  was  now  formed  in  the  following  order, 
commencing  on  the  extreme  right :  5th  infantry,  commanded  by 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Mcintosh ;  Major  Ringgold's  artillery ;  3d 
infantry,  commanded  by  L.  M.  Morris ;  two  eighteen-pounJers, 
commanded  by  Lieutenant  Churchill,  3d  artillery ;  4th  infantry, 
commanded  by  Major  C^.  W.  Allen ;  the  3d  and  4th  regiments, 
composed  the  3d  brigade,  under  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Gnrlnnd,  and  all  the  above  corps,  together  with  two  squadrons 
nf  dragoons,  under  Captains  Ker  and  May,  composed  the 
rip;ht  wing,  under  the  orders  of  Colonel  Twiggs.  The  left  was 
formed  by  the  battalion  of  artillery,  commanded  by  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Childs,  Captain  Duncan's  light  artillery,  and  the  8th 
infantry,  under  Captain  Montgomery,  all  forming  the  L'jt 
brigade,  under  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Belknap. 
The  train  was  parked  near  the  water,  under  directions  of  Cap- 
tains Grossman  and  Myers,  and  protected  by  Captain  Ker's 
squadron. 

*'  About  two  o'clock,  we  took  up  the  march  by  heads  of  columns 


A  >  m 


111  11 


508 


BATTLE    OF    PALO    ALTO. 


^v  '^ 


« 


in  the  direction  of  the  enemy,  the  eighteen-pounder  battery  fol- 
lowing  the  road.  While  the  other  columns  were  advancing, 
Lieutenant  Blake,  topographical  engineers,  volunteered  a  recon- 
noissance  of  the  enemy's  line,  which  was  handsomely  performed, 
and  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  at  least  two  batteries  of  artillery 
in  the  intervals  of  their  cavalry  and  infantry.  These  batteries 
were  soon  opened  upon  us,  when  I  ordered  the  columns  haltii 
and  deployed  into  line,  and  the  fire  to  be  returned  by  all  our  ar- 
tillery. The  8th  infantry,  on  our  extreme  left,  was  thrown  back 
to  eacure  that  flank.  The  first  fires  of  the  enemy  did  little  exe- 
cution, while  our  eighteen-pounders  and  Major  Ringgold's  artil- 
lery Kooii  dispersed  the  cavalry  which  foi  med  his  left.  Captain 
Dum  a  !.'s  battery,  thrown  forward  in  advance  of  tlie  line,  was 
doing  ijOod  execution  at  this  time.  Captain  May's  squadron 
•-va^;  mrv  detached  to  support  that  battery  and  the  left  of  our 
position.  The  Mexican  cavalry,  with  two  pieces  of  artillery, 
weic  no\t  reported  to  be  moving  thro^igh  the  chapyrral  to  our 
right,  to  threaten  that  flank,  or  make  a  demonstration  against 
the  train.  The  5th  infantry  was  immediately  detached  to  check 
this  movement,  and  supported  by  Lieutenant  Ridgely,  with  a 
section  of  Major  Ringgold's  battery,  and  Captain  Walker's  com- 
pany of  volunteers,  effectully  repulsed  the  enemy — the  5th  in- 
fantry repelling  a  charge  of  lancers,  and  the  artillery  doing  great 
execution  in  their  ranks.  The  3d  infantry  was  now  detached 
to  the  right,  as  a  still  further  security  to  that  flank,  yet  threat- 
ened by  the  enemy.  Major  Ringgold,  with  the  remaining  sec- 
tion, kept  up  his  fire  from  an  advanced  position,  and  was  sup- 
ported by  the  left  infantry. 

**  The  grass  of  the  prairie  had  been  accidentally  fired  by  onr 
artillery,  and  the  volumes  of  mol.*,  now  partially  concealed  the 
armies  from  each  other.  As  rhe  enemy's  ief*  had  evidently  been 
driven  back,  and  left  the  road  free,  and  as  the  cannonade  had 
been  suspended,  I  ordered  forward  the  eighteen-pounders  on  the 
road  nearly  to  the  position  first  occupied  by  the  Mexican  cavalry, 
and  caused  the  1st  brigade  to  take  up  a  new  position,  still  on 
the  left  of  the  eighteen-pounder  battery.  The  5th  was  advanced 
from  its  former  position,  and  occupied  a  pMnt  on  the  extreme 
right  of  the  new  line.     The  enemy  made  a  change  of  position 


BATTLE  OF  PALO  ALTO. 


559 


ier  battery  fol- 
ire  advancing, 
teered  a  recon- 
lely  performed, 
ries  of  artillery 
rhese  batteries 
olumns  haltii 
i  by  all  our  ar- 
is  thrown  back 
f  did  little  exe- 
Linggold's  artil- 
;  left.  Captain 
f  tlie  line,  was 
lay's  squadron 
the  left  of  our 
jes  of  artillery, 
chaparral  to  our 
stration  against 
jtached  to  check 
[Ridgely,  with  a 
L  Walker's  cora- 
ny — the  5tb  in- 
lery  doing  great 
s  now  detached 
ank,  yet  threat- 
remaining  sec- 
1,  and  was  siip- 

lly  fired  by  our 
y  concealed  the 
evidently  been 
cannonade  had 
pounders  on  the 
lexican  cavalry, 
wsition,  still  on 
;h  was  advanced 
on  the  extreme 
inge  of  position 


Dentil  of  Ringgold. 

corresponding  to  our  own,  and  after  a  suspension  of  nearly  an 
hour,  the  action  was  resumed. 

"  The  fire  of  artillery  was  now  most  destructive ;  openings 
were  constantly  made  through  the  enemy's  ranks  by  our  fire, 
and  the  constancy  with  which  the  Mexican  infantry  sustained 
this  severe  cannonade  was  a  theme  of  universal  remark  and  ad- 
miration. Captain  May's  squadron  was  detached  to  make  a  de- 
monstration on  the  left  of  the  enemy's  position,  and  suffered 
severely  from  the  fire  of  artillery,  to  which  it  was  for  some  time 
exposed. 

"  The  4th  infantry,  which  had  been  ordered  to  support  the 
eighteen-pounder  battery,  was  exposed  to  a  most  galling  fire  of 
artillery,  by  which  severnl  men  were  killed,  and  Captain  Page 
dangerously  wounded.  The  enemy's  fire  was  directed  against 
our  eii>hteen-pounder  battery,  and  the  guns  under  Major  Ring- 
gold in  its  vicinity.  The  major  himself,  while  coolly  directing 
the  fire  of  his  pieces,  was  struck  by  a  cannon-ball  and  mortally 
wounded. 

"In  the  mean  time,  the  battalion  under  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Child's  had  been  brought  up  to  support  the  artillery  on  our 
right.  A  strong  demonstration  of  cavalry  was  now  made  by  the 
enemy  against  this  part  of  our  line,  and  the  column  continued 


*^>iP^ 


jLMi 


560 


BATTLE    OF    PALO    ALTO. 


to  advance  under  a  severe  fire  from  the  eighteen-pounders.  The 
battalion  was  instantly  formed  in  square,  and  held  ready  to  re- 
ceive the  charge  of  cavalry,  but  when  the  advancing  squadrons 
were  within  close  range,  a  deadly  fire  of  canister  from  the 
eighteen-pounders  dispersed  them.  A  brisk  fire  of  small  arms 
was  now  opened  upon  the  square,  by  which  one  officer  (Lieute- 
nant Luther,  2d  artillery)  was  slightly  wounded ;  but  a  well-di- 
rected volley  from  the  front  of  the  square  silenced  all  further 
firing  from  the  enemy  in  this  quarter.  It  was  now  nearly  dark, 
and  the  action  was  closed  on  the  right  of  our  line,  the  enemy 
having  been  completely  driven  back  from  his  position,  and  foiled 
in  every  attempt  against  it. 

"  While  the  above  was  going  forward  on  our  right,  and  under 
our  own  eye,  the  enemy  had  made  a  serious  attempt  again^  the 
left  of  our  line.  Captain  Duncan  instantly  perceived  the  move- 
ment, and,  by  the  bold  and  brilliant  manceuvering  of  his  battery, 
completely  repulsed  several  successive  efforts  of  the  enemy  to 
advance  in  force  upon  our  left  flank.  Supported  in  succession 
by  the  8th  infantry,  and  by  Captain  Ker's  squadron  of  dragoons, 
he  gallantly  held  the  enemy  at  bay,  and  finally  drove  him,  with 
immense  loss,  from  the  field.  The  action  here  and  along  the 
whole  line  continued  until  dark,  when  the  enemy  retired  into 
the  chaparral,  in  rear  of  his  position. 

"  Our  loss  this  day  was  nine  killed,  forty-four  wounded,  and 
two  missing. 

"  Our  own  force  engaged  is  shown  to  have  been  one  hundred 
and  seventy-seven  officers,  and  two  thousand  one  hundred  and 
eleven  men ;  aggregate,  two  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighty- 
eight.  The  Mexican  force,  according  to  the  statements  of  their 
own  officers,  taken  prisoners  in  the  affair  of  the  9th,  was  not  less 
than  six  thousand  regular  troops,  with  ten  pieces  of  artillery, 
and  probably  exceeding  that  number — the  irregular  force  not 
known.  Their  loss  was  not  less  than  two  hundred  killed,  and 
four  hundred  wounded — probably  greater.  This  estimate  is 
very  moderate,  and  formed  upon  the  number  actually  counted 
on  the  field,  and  upon  the  reports  of  their  own  officers." 

Early  on  the  following  morning,  the  enemy  were  observed 
moving  toward  the  Rio  Grande.     The  battle  had  by  no  means 


BATTLE  OF  RE8ACA  DE  LA  PALMA. 


56] 


r  wounded,  and 


been  decisive;  and  they  were  evidently  seeking  a  more  ad- 
vantageous position,  in  order  to  renew  it.  For  this  the  American 
commander  had  carefully  prepared.  The  wounded  had  been  re 
lieved  on  the  previous  night,  the  troops  refreshed,  and  every  thing 
put  in  readiness  for  battle;  in  addition  to  which  a  council  of 
officers  had  resolved  to  continue  the  march  at  all  hazards. 

The  battle  of  Resaca  de  la  Palma  is  thus  described  by  an 
American  officer : 

"  At  two  o'clock  p.  M.,  we  found  the  enemy  drawn  up  in  great 
force,  occupying  a  ravine  which  our  road  crossed ;  with  thick 
chaparral,  or  thorny  bushes,  on  either  side  before  it  reached  the 
ravine,  and  a  pond  of  water  on  either  side  where  it  crossed  the 
ravine,  constituting  a  defile.  They  were  seven  thousand  strong ; 
we  fifty-four  weaker  than  on  the  previous  day.  The  general 
ordered  an  immediate  attack  by  all  the  troops,  except  the  first 
brigade,  which  was  kept  in  reserve ;  and  soon  the  rattling  fire  of 
musketry,  mingled  with  the  heavy  sound  of  artillery,  announced 
the  commencement  of  the  action.  The  enemy  had  chosen  his 
position,  which  he  considered  impregnable — was  vastly  superior 
to  us  in  numbers,  and  had  ten  pieces  of  artillery  planted  in  the 
defile,  which  swept  the  road  with  grape,  and  which  it  was  ab- 
solutely necessary  for  us  to  take  before  they  could  be  }\3f\ten. 
These  pieces  were  flanked  on  either  side  by  a  regiment  of  brave 
veteran  troops  from  Tampico,  and  we  were  obliged  to  stand  an 
awful  shower  of  grape  and  bullet  before  a  charge  could  reach 
them.  The  battle  had  lasted  some  two  hours  with  great  fury  on 
both  sides,  and  many  heroic  deeds  had  been  done,  but  no  serious 
impression  made,  when  General  Taylor  sent  for  Captain  May  of 
the  second  dragoons,  and  told  him  he  must  take  that  battery 
with  his  squadron  of  dragoons  if  he  lost  every  man.  May 
histantly  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  his  men,  and  setting  off 
at  full  speed,  with  cheers  and  shouts,  dashed  into  the  defile, 
where  he  was  greeted  with  an  overwhelming  discharge  of  grape 
and  bullets,  which  nearly  annihilated  his  first  and  second  pla- 
toons ,  but  he  was  seen,  unhurt,  darting  like  lightning  through 
this  murderous  hailstorm,  and,  in  a  second,  he  and  his  men 
drove  away,  or  cut  to  pieces  the  artillerists. 

"  The  speed  of  his  horses  was  so  great,  however,  that  they 

n 


'  i 


■i 


at 


I      i 


■  r  I    1 


662 


BATTLE  OF  RESACA  DE  LA  PALMA. 


ptissed  through  the  battery,  and  were  halted  in  its  rear.  There, 
tumiiiL^ ,  he  charged  back,  and  was  just  in  time  to  rescue  a  Mexi- 
can general  officer,  who  would  not  leave  his  guns,  and  mms 
panning  the  strokes  of  one  of  his  men.  The  officer  handed  his 
sword  to  May,  announced  himself  as  General  La  Vega,  and  gavo 
his  parole.  May  turned  him  ov(3r  to  an  officer,  and  galloping 
hack  to  General  Taylor,  reported  that  he  had  captured  the 
enemy's  battery,  and  the  gallant  General  La  Vega,  bravi  ly  de- 
fending it,  whose  sword  he  had  the  honour  to  present  his  om- 
manding  officer.  The  general  was  extremely  gratified,  and  1,  It 
no  doubt  that  a  blow  had  been  given,  I'l  »m  which  it  would  be 
difficult  for  the  enemy  to  recover Colonel  Belknap,  lead- 
ing his  regiment  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  seized  a  Mexican 
standard,  and  waving  it  over  his  head,  dashed  on  in  front  of  his 
men,  until  his  horse  stumbl  1  over  some  dead  bodies,  and  threw 
him.  Being  a  heavy  man,  he  was  helped  on  his  horse  by  a  sol- 
dier, wiio  in  the  act  received  a  ball  through  his  lungs,  and  at  the 
same  moment  a  shot  carried  away  the  Mexican  flag,  leaving  but 
the  handle  with  the  colonel.  He  dashed  ahead  with  that,  how- 
ever, and  his  regime  it  carried  every  thing  before  it.  At  this 
moment  the  Mexicans  gave  way  entirely,  and,  throwing  down 
their  iinns,  f^ed  in  every  direction,  leaving  all  their  stores,  muni- 
tions of  war,  arniN,  f>trmdards,  &c.  The  killed,  wounded,  and 
prisoners,  including  those  who  were  drowned  in  the  Rio  Grande, 
do  not  fall  short  of  eighteen  hundred — so  that  the  enemy's  loss 
in  two  days  amounts  o  at  least  two  thousand  men,  something 
more  than  the  number  we  had  in  our  army." 

May's  charge  was  the  most  brilliant  event  of  this  hard-fought 
battle.  It  was  an  opportunity  for  which  the  captain  had  l^een 
anxiously  hoping ;  and  riding  in  front  of  his  horsemen,  he  called 
to  them  to  follow.  The  next  moment  they  were  sweeping  to- 
ward the  enemy.  Before  being  perceived  by  them,  May  was 
stopped  by  Lieutenant  Ridgely,  who  was  about  firing  in  order 
to  draw  the  shot  of  the  enemy.  This  being  done.  May  again 
dashed  forward,  and  in  a  few  minutes  was  by  the  muzzles  of  the 
cannon.  Suddenly  a  tremendous  discharge  poured  forth  along 
the  ranks  of  the  intrepid  horsemen,  rolling  horses  and  men  head- 
long on  the  ground.     But  nothing  could  stop  the  survivors 


i''  ■'  ,-11 


DEATH  OF  LIEUTENANT  BLAKE. 


063 


Leaping  over  the  cannon,  they  drove  the  artillerists  from  their 
positions  at  the  point  of  the  sword.  The  batteries  were  defended 
by  the  celebrated  Tampico  veterans,  hitherto  regarded  as  in- 
vincible. They  threw  themselves  furiously  between  their  guns, 
and  with  their  swords  and  bayonets  fought  hand  to  hand  with 
the  cavalry.  One  by  one  they  sunk  beneath  the  wenpons  of 
their  adversaries;  and  even  when  the  regiment  was  broken  and 
cruslied,  one  of  them  endeavoured  to  sustain  its  honour  by  wrap- 
pi  ng  the  flag  around  him  in  order  to  bear  it  away. 

On  the  morning  of  this  day,  Lieutenant  Blake  the  topo- 
graphical engineers,  was  killed  by  the  accidental  'sch  irge  of 
one  of  his  pistols.  This  officer  was  much  beloved  ^  on  the 
previous  day  had  performed  a  reconnoissance  of  th.  daring 

valour.  One  who  accompanied  him  gives  the  subjoined  account 
of  this  feat : 

"After  the  line  of  battle  had  been  formed.  General  Taylor 
rode  along  it  to  survey  his  command.  Every  man  was  perfectly 
cool,  and  had  they  been  about  to  take  dinner,  they  could  not 
have  been  more  indifferent.  At  this  time  the  general  had  not 
the  slightest  knowledge  as  to  whether  the  enemy  had  any  artil- 
lery or  not.  The  long  prairie  grass  prevented  any  one  from  dis- 
tinguishing it,  when  masked  by  men  in  front  of  the  pieces. 
What  was  to  be  done  ?  It  was  an  all-important  point.  Captain 
May  was  ordered  to  go  forward  with  his  squadron,  reconnoiter 
the  enemy,  and,  if  possible,  draw  a  fire  from  their  artillery,  but  to 
no  purpose ;  they  took  no  notice  of  him.  Lieutenant  Blake  then 
proposed  to  go  forward  alone  and  reconnoiter.  I  was  close  to 
him,  and  volunteered  to  accompany  him.  He  consented,  and 
we  d;u  ^ed  forward  to  within  eighty  yards  of  their  line,  the  whole 
army  looking  on  us  with  astonishment.  Here  we  had  a  full 
view.  The  lieutenant  alighted  from  his  horse,  and,  with  his 
glass,  surveyed  the  whole  line,  and  handed  it  to  me.  After 
making  a  similar  observation,  I  returned  the  glass.  Just  then 
two  officers  rode  out  towards  us.  I  mentioned  it  to  Blake,  and 
requested  him  to  mount.  He  quietly  told  me  to  draw  a  pistol  on 
them.  I  did  so,  and  they  halted.  Had  they  thought  proper, 
they  could  have  fired  a  volley  from  their  main  line  and  riddled 
us  both.     We  then  galloped  along  their  line  to  its  other  end, 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MS80 

(716)  873-4S03 


564 


EXCHANGE    OF    PRISONERS. 


there  examined  them  again,  and  returned  Scarcely  had  Blake 
reported,  when  their  batteries  opened  upon  our  line,  and  the 
work  of  destruction  commenced.  Our  examination  proved  to  be 
correct." 

"  The  strength  of  our  marching  force  on  this  day,"  says  General 
Taylor,  "  was  one  hundred  and  seventy-three  officers,  and  two 
thousand  and  forty-nine  men — aggregate  two  thousand  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty-two.  The  actual  number  engaged  with  the  enemj 
did  not  exceed  seventeen  hundred.  Our  loss  was  three  officers 
killed,  and  twelve  wounded.  Thirty-six  men  killed,  and  seventy- 
one  wounded.  *****  I  have  no  accurate  data  from  which  to 
estimate  the  enemy's  force  on  this  day.  He  was  known  to  have 
been  reinforced  after  the  action  of  the  8th,  both  by  cavalry  and 
infantry,  and  no  doubt  to  an  extent  equal  at  least  to  his  loss  on 
that  day.  It  is  probable  that  six  thousand  men  were  opposed  to 
us,  in  a  position  chosen  by  themselves,  and  strongly  defended  by 
artillery.  The  enemy's  loss  was  very  great.  Nearly  two 
hundred  of  his  dead  were  buried  by  us,  on  the  day  succeeding 
the  battle.  His  loss  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  in  the  two 
affairs  of  the  8th  and  9th,  is,  I  think,  moderately  estimated  at 
one  thousand  men. 

"  Our  victory  has  been  decisive.  A  small  force  has  overcome 
immense  odds  of  the  best  troops  that  Mexico  can  furnish — veteran 
regiments  perfectly  equipped  and  appointed.  Eight  pieces  of 
artillery,  several  colours  and  standards,  a  great  number  of 
prisoners,  (including  fourteen  officers,)  and  a  large  amount  of 
baggage,  and  public  property  fell  into  our  hands." 

On  the  10th  prisoners  were  exchanged,  and  all  the  American 
captives,  including  Captain  Thornton,  set  free.  On  the  same 
day  Major  Brown  expired. 

On  the  11th  General  Taylor  visited  Point  Isabel,  in  order  to 
arrange  with  the  commander  of  the  Gulf  squadron.  Commodore 
Conner,  a  plan  for  the  campaign.  Some  of  the  objects  of  this 
plan  are  given  in  the  following  extract  from  a  letter  wTitten  to 
the  war  department  at  that  time : 

"  I  avail  myself  of  this  brief  time  at  my  command  to  report, 
that  the  main  body  of  the  army  is  now  occupying  its  former 
position,  opposite  Matamoras.    The  Mexican  forces  are  almost 


TAYLOR  S    DESPATCH. 


565 


,"  says  General 
fficers,  and  two 
asand  two  hun- 
with  the  enemy 
as  three  officers 
id,  and  seventy- 
ta  from  which  to 
known  to  have 
by  cavalry  and 
t  to  his  loss  on 
were  opposed  to 
gly  defended  by 
;.      Nearly  two 
day  succeeding 
ssing,  in  the  two 
}ly  estimated  at 

ce  has  overcome 
urnish — veteran 
ight  pieces  of 
eat  number  of 
arge  amount  of 

1  the  American 
On  the  same 

ibel,  in  order  to 

ron,  Commodore 

objects  of  this 

letter  vn-itten  to 

mand  to  report, 
)ying  its  former 
Drees  are  almost 


disorganized,  and  I  shall  lose  no  time  in  investing  Matamoras. 
and  opening  the  navigation  of  the  river.  I  am  under  the  painful 
necessity  of  reporting,  that  Lieutenant  Blake,  topographical 
engineers,  after  rendering  distinguished  service  in  my  staff, 
during  the  affair  of  the  8th  instant,  accidentally  shot  himself 
with  a  pistol  the  following  day,  and  expired  before  night." 


8B 


Hffl 


/  '  1 


t^l 


m^ 


Am 
f 


Ml 


566 


TAYLOR    RETURNS    TO    POINT    ISABEL. 


CHAPTER  III. 


ARITA  is  a  small  town  on  the 
Rio  Grande,  south  of  Matamoras. 
On  returning  to  Fort  Brown,  Ge- 
neral Taylor  was  informed  that 
the  Mexicans  were  there  concen- 
trating their  forces,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  establishing  a  military 
depot,  which  would  give  them 
comm     \  of  the  river.    He  there- 
fore .     ^rned    to  Point   Isabel, 
where  a  large  number  of  volun- 
teers   from    the    southern    and 
western  states  had  just  arrived.     This  enabled  him  to  draw 
large  reinforcements  for  his  main  station,  and  to  commence 
offensive  operations  immediately. 
In  order  to  dispossess  the  enemy  of  their  supposed  position 


DESCRIPTION    OF    BARITA. 


667 


he  appointed  a  party,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Wilson,  to  pro- 
ceed against  that  station.  It  consisted  of  two  volunteer  compa- 
nies from  Louisiana,  under  Captains  Stockton  and  Tobin,  and 
one  from  Alabama,  under  General  Desha.  Commodore  Conner 
was  to  co-operate. 

On  the  16th  Wilson  crossed  the  river,  and  marched  down  to 
Barita.  To  his  astonishment  he  experienced  no  opposition,  nor 
was  an  enemy  seen  in  arms.  General  Taylor  had  been  misin- 
formed. 

An  officer  of  Colonel  Wilson's  party  thus  describes  the  town, 
and  the  operations  of  his  commanding  officer : 

"  I  am  here  to  select  a  site  for  the  depot  of  our  new  base  of 
operations,  and  to  intrench.  This  village  is  about  ten  miles 
from  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  the  same  distance  from  Brazos 
Santiago,  or  Fort  Polk,  (Point  Isabel.)  The  prominent  features 
which  might  induce  me  to  decide  upon  this,  as  the  proper  point 
for  the  depot,  are,  that  it  is  the  first  high  land  you  reach  in 
ascending  the  river,  that  it  is  above  hurricane  tides,  that  the 
ground  is  naturally  formed  for  a  military  position,  commanding 
every  thing  around  it,  and  commanded  by  nothing.  It  is  equi- 
distant, and  not  very  inaccessible  from  our  other  depots.  The 
worst  road  is  to  Fort  Polk ;  while  the  direct  line  is  only  ten 
miles,  the  only  road  for  wagons  is  over  twenty.  Colonel  Wilson 
has  four  companies  of  his  own  regiment  here,  and  four  of 
volunteers. 

"This  movement  up  the  river  was  intended  to  have  been  a 
combined  one  with  Commodore  Conner.  It  has  been  delayed 
two  days  in  consequence  of  unfavourable  weather  rendering  the 
bar  too  rough.  The  commodore's  limited  stay  here  compelled 
him  to  notify  the  general  not  to  count  upon  his  co-operation  in 
an  expedition  up  the  river.  This  morning  at  daylight  I  started 
the  Neva  (a  river  boat)  out  from  the  Brazos.  She  entered  the 
Rio  Bravo  without  difficulty  about  eight  a.  m.,  and  some  time 
after  I  rode  down  the  beach.  Colonel  Wilson's  command  has 
been  bivouacking  for  two  days  on  our  side  of  the  mouth.  We 
crossed  them  all  over  by  twelve ;  and  before  one  p.  m.  the  column 
was  en  route  up  the  river.  The  banks  of  the  river  are  but 
slightly  higher  than  the  surface  of  the  water  for  some  miles  up 


n 


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m 


568 


Taylor's  despatch. 


The  whole  country  low,  and  filled  with  lagoons.  There  is  a 
high  ridge  of  sand  hills,  some  twenty  feet  high,  extending  up 
and  down  the  coast  directly  on  the  beach.  The  country  back 
of  this  ridge  is  one  vast  plain  of  prairie  and  lagoon.  The  road 
up  the  river  is  tolerably  good.  The  river  is  very  serpentine. 
The  road  runs  from  bend  to  bend,  the  distance  by  river  beino- 
nearly  double  that  by  road.  The  road  up  the  right  bank  is 
skirted  to  the  left  and  south  by  lagoons,  until  you  reach  Barita; 
so  that  a  march  of  a  column  up  this  side  is  by  no  means  exposed 
to  a  thick  attack." 

Meanwhile  active  preparations  were  going  forward  for  cross- 
ing the  Rio  Grande  and  attacking  Matamoras.  Owing  to  the 
scarcity  of  means  for  transportation  this  work  went  on  but 
slowly ;  and  the  arrangements  necessary  to  meet  the  expected 
resistance,  caused  still  further  delay.  On  the  18th,  however, 
the  crossing  was  effected,  though  with  the  loss  of  Lieutenant 
Stephens,  a  beloved  and  deeply  lamented  officer.  The  particu- 
lars of  this  affair,  together  with  the  capture  of  Matamoras,  we 
give  in  General  Taylor's  own  words :  «  '■ 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  report  that  my  very  limited  means  of 
crossing  rivers  prevented  a  complete  prosecution  of  the  victories 
of  the  9th  instant.  A  ponton  train,  the  necessity  of  which 
I  exhibited  to  the  department  last  year,  would  have  enabled  the 
army  to  have  crossed  on  the  evening  of  the  battle,  take  this  city, 
with  all  the  artillery  and  stores  of  the  enemy,  and  a  great  num- 
ber of  prisoners.  In  short,  to  destroy  entirely  the  Mexican 
army.  But  I  was  compelled  to  await  the  arrival  of  heavy  mor- 
tars, with  which  to  menace  the  town  from  the  left  bank,  and 
also  the  accumulation  of  small  boats.  In  the  mean  time,  the 
enemy  had  somewhat  recovered  from  the  confusion  of  his  flight, 
and  ought  still,  with  three  thousand  men  left  him,  to  have  made 
a  respectable  defense.  I  made  every  preparation  to  cross  the 
river  above  the  town,  while  Lieutenant-Colonel  Wilson  made  a 
diversion,  on  the  side  of  Barita,  and  the  order  of  march  was 
given  out  for  one  o'clock  yesterday,  from  the  camp  near  Fort 
Brown,  when  I  was  waited  upon  by  General  Reguena,  empow- 
ered  by  General  Arista,  commanding-in-chief  the  Mexican  forces, 
to  treat  for  an  armistice  until  the  government  should  finallv 


Taylor's  despatch. 


569 


There  is  a 
extending  up 
s  country  back 
)n.  The  road 
;ry  serpentine. 
by  river  being 
right  bank  is 
L  reach  Barita ; 
means  exposed 

ward  for  cross- 
Owing  to  the 
.  went  on  but 
t  the  expected 
18th,  however, 
1  of  Lieutenant 
The  particu- 
Matamoras,  we 


settle  the  question.  I  replied  to  this,  that  an  armistice  was  out  of 
the  question ;  that  a  month  since  I  had  propowed  one  to  General 
Ampudia,  which  was  declined;  that  circumstances  were  now 
changed ;  that  I  was  receiving  large  roinforoemonts,  and  could 
not  now  suspend  operations  which  I  had  not  invited  nor  pro- 
voked ;  that  the  possession  of  Matamoras  was  a  si?ie  qua  non; 
that  our  troops  would  occupy  the  town ;  but  that  General  Arista 
might  withdraw  his  forces,  leaving  the  public  property  of  every 
description. 

"  An  answer  to  the  above  was  promised  in  the  afternoon,  but 
none  came ;  and  I  repaired  at  sundown  to  join  the  army,  already 
in  position  at  a  crossing  some  two  miles  abovo  the  town.  Very 
early  this  morning  the  bank  was  occupied  by  two  eighteen- 
pounders  and  three  batteries  of  field  artillery,  and  the  crossing 
commenced :  the  light  companies  of  all  the  battalions  were  first 
thrown  over,  followed  by  the  volunteer  and  regular  cavalry.  No 
resistance  vras  made,  and  I  was  soon  informed  from  various 
quarters  th  .t  Arista  had  abandoned  the  town,  with  all  his  troops, 
the  evening  before,  leaving  only  the  sick  and  wounded.  I  im- 
mediately despatched  a  staff  officer  to  the  prefect  to  demand  a 
surrender ;  and,  in  the  mean  time,  a  commission  was  sent  by 
the  prefect  to  confer  with  me  on  the  same  point.  I  gave  assur- 
ance that  the  civil  rights  of  the  citizens  would  be  respected, 
and  our  troops  at  once  dropped  down  opposite  the  town,  and 
crossed  at  the  "  Upper  Ferry,"  the  American  flag  being  dis- 
played at  Fort  Paredes,  a  Mexican  redoubt  near  the  crossing. 
The  different  corps  now  encamped  in  the  outskirts  of  the  city. 
To-morrow  I  shall  make  suitable  arrangements  for  the  occupa- 
tion of  the  town,  and  for  taking  possession  of  the  public  pro- 
perty. More  than  three  hundred  of  the  enemy's  wounded  have 
been  left  in  the  hospitals.  Arista  is  in  full  retreat  towards  Mon- 
terey, with  the  fragments  of  his  army. 

"  I  deeply  regret  to  report  that  Lieutenant  George  Stevens,  a 
very  promising  young  officer,  of  the  2d  dragoons,  was  accidentally 
drow^ned  this  morning  while  attempting  to  swim  the  river  with 
his  squadron." 

During  the  night  of  the  17th,  General  Arista,  with  the  troops 
left  toffether  after  the  battle  of  the  9th,  had  evacuated  the  citv, 

3b  2  78 


li 


'    K  U    r",l 


670 


CAPTURE    OP    MEXICAN    TOWNS. 


and  commenced  a  rapid  march  for  the  interior.  He  thus  ex- 
cused his  flight  to  his  superior  officer : 

"  All  the  means  of  subsistence  of  this  division  being  consumed, 
its  activity  paralyzed,  and  its  artillery  diminished,  while  that  of 
the  enemy  has  been  greatly  increased  in  the  number  of  pieces 
and  the  calibre  of  his  guns,  in  such  a  manner  that,  were  he  to 
open  his  fire,  the  city  of  Matamoras  would  be  instantly  destroyed, 
to  the  utter  ruin  of  national  and  foreign  interests,  I  have  decided 
to  retire  from  it,  with  the  forces  under  my  command,  before  be- 
ing summoned,  and  obliged  to  evacuate  it  with  dishonour,  which 
I  shall  thus  avoid :  for  the  march  is  slow,  our  pieces  being 
drawn  by  oxen,  and  our  munitions  in  carts.  My  object  now  is 
to  defend  the  soil  of  those  departments  which  have  been  intrusted 
to  me ;  and,  for  that  purpose,  I  am  going  to  post  myself  at  those 
points  most  convenient,  and  within  reach  of  supplies,  of  which 
I  will  hereafter  inform  your  highness,  though  your  communica- 
tions must  seek  me  by  the  road  of  China,  or  that  of  Linares. 
The  step  to  which  I  have  referred  has  saved  the  national  honour; 
and  I  communicate  it  to  your  highness  for  your  information,  re- 
commending you  to  secure  the  camp  equipage,  placing  it  in  a 
convenient  point,  and  preserving  the  sixteen-pounders  in  that 
city,  to  which,  moreover,  I  will  order  a  reinforcement." 

Colonel  Twiggs  was  appointed  military  governor  of  Matamo- 
ras, and  by  a  just  and  energetic  exercise  of  his  functions,  soon 
cleared  the  city  of  the  lawless  banditti  that  infested  it,  and  re- 
stored order  and  confidence.  The  rights  of  the  citizens  were 
respected,  and  the  people  encouraged  to  look  upon  the  Ameri- 
cans rather  as  friends  than  as  invaders.  These  pacific  measures 
were  further  strengthened  by  a  proclamation  of  General  Taylor 
in  which  he  exhibited  the  tyranny  of  the  Mexican  authorities, 
and  a  desire  of  his  government  for  a  speedy  and  honourable  ter- 
mination of  all  difficulties.  \ 

Soon  after  the  capture  of  this  important  station,  small  parties 
took  possession  of  the  towns  of  Mier,  Reynos  i,  and  Camargo ; 
and  thus  the  entire  region  of  the  Rio  Grande  was  in  possession 
of  the  Americans.  But  Taylor's  difficulties  were  far  greater 
than  before.  When  writing  to  the  governors  of  several  states 
for  reinforcements,  he  had  explicitly  stated  his  demand  for  but 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


fi71 


He  thus  ex* 


eight  regiments.  But  after  receiving  notice  of  his  danger,  these 
officers  with  a  laudable  zeal,  hurried  on  reinforcements,  to  such 
an  extent,  that  the  general  found  himself  utterly  at  a  loss  as  to 
the  "Tianner  of  their  disposal.  His  means  of  transportation  were 
very  limited ;  and  no  satisfactory  orders  respecting  his  future 
course  arrived  from  Washington.  In  a  letter  to  the  department 
dated  June  3d,  he  says : 

"  I  am  necessarily  detained  at  this  point  for  want  of  suitable 
transportation  to  carry  on  offensive  operations.  There  is  not  a 
steamboat  at  my  command  proper  for  the  navigation  of  the  Rio 
Grande ;  and  without  water  transportation,  I  consider  it  useless 
to  attempt  any  extensive  movement.  Measures  have  been  taken 
to  procure  boats  of  suitable  draught  and  description,  and  one  or 
two  may  now  be  expected.  In  the  mean  time,  I  propose  to  push 
a  battalion  of  infantry  as  far  as  Reynosa,  and  occupy  that  town. 
For  any  operations  in  the  direction  of  Monterey,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  establish  a  large  depot  at  Camargo,  which  I  shall  lose 
no  time  in  doing  as  soon  as  proper  transports  arrive,  unless  I 
receive  counter-instructions  from  the  department. 

"  I  trust  the  department  will  see  that  I  could  not  possibly  have 
anticipated  the  arrival  of  such  heavy  reinforcements  from  Louis- 
iana as  are  now  here,  and  on  their  way  hither.  Without  large 
means  of  transportation,  this  force  will  embarrass,  rather  than 
facilitate  our  operations.  I  cannot  doubt  that  the  department 
has  already  given  instructions,  based  upon  the  change  in  our 
position  since  my  first  call  for  volunteers. 

"  Our  last  accounts  of  Arista  represent  his  force  to  be  halted 
at  Coma,  an  extensive  hacienda  on  the  Monterey  road,  about  one 
hundred  miles  from  this  point.  He  has  pickets  covering  the 
roads  leading  to  Matamoras,  with  a  view  to  cut  off  all  commu- 
nication with  the  interior.  The  departmental  au thorites  have 
issued  a  decree  denouncing  as  traitors  all  who  hold  intercourse 
mth  us,  or  with  those  who  do  so.  I  am,  nevertheless,  disposed 
to  believe  that  in  some  quarters,  at  least,  our  presence  is  not 
unfavourably  viewed.  We  have  no  intelligence  from  the  city 
of  Mexico." 

The  uncertainty  experienced  even  by  government  as  to  the 
manner  of  conducting  the  war,  together  with  their  imperfect 


^iliiiii 


■Ii^.: 


'^    '■■ 


ft72 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


instructions  to  the  general,  will  be  seen  from  the  following  ex- 
tracts of  a  letter  from  the  secretary  of  war,  dated  June  8th. 

"  In  my  letter  of  the  2Sth  ultimo,  you  were  left  to  your  own 
discretion  and  judgment  as  to  the  measures  to  be  pursued  before 
the  end  of  the  unfavourable  season  shall  have  passed,  and  it  is 
not  now  intended  to  control  that  discretion.  You  best  know 
what  amount  of  force  you  will  have  under  your  command,  and 
what  can  be  best  accomplished  with  that  force. 

"  It  is  presumed  you  will  hold  both  banks  of  the  Rio  Grande 
to  a  considerable  distance  from  its  mouth,  and  secure  the  unin- 
terupted  use  of  that  river  for  the  transportation  of  supplies.  I 
hope  you  will  be  able  to  take  and  hold  in  possession  all  places 
on  it  as  high  up  as  Laredo. 

"  It  is  proper  that  I  should  advise  you  that  a  considerable  force, 
which  will  be  also  under  your  command,  will  soon  assemble  at 
San  Antonio  de  Bexar.  The  ultimate  destination  of  this  force 
is  Chihuahua,  if  it  should  be  determined  that  such  an  expedi- 
tion would  have  a  favourable  operation  in  the  conduct  of  the 
war ;  but  it  might  be  at  once  used  to  take  and  secure  the  severil 
places  on  the  Rio  Grande.  Though  we  have  no  despatch  from 
you  since  those  giving  an  account  of  the  battles  on  the  8th  and 
9th  of  May,  we  have  such  information  as  induces  the  belief  that 
you  are  in  possession  of  Matamoras,  and  that  you  are  not  now 
threatened  with  any  considerable  Mexican  force.  It  is  desirable 
that  you  should  find  yourself  in  sufficient  strength  to  capture 
and  hold  Monterey  with  your  present  force.  You  are  apprized 
that  large  reinforcements  are  preparing  to  join  you.  Besides 
the  regular  forces  now  under  your  command,  and  which  will  be 
speedily  augmented,  you  will  soon  have  nearly  twenty  thousand 
volu^iteers,  (including  those  to  rendezvous  at  San  Antonio  de 
Bexar,)  who  are  to  serve  for  one  year.  Your  determination  as 
to  immediate  movements  will,  therefore,  be  somewhat  influenced 
by  the  consideration  of  the  additional  force  which  will  soon  join 
you. 

"  The  president  is  desirous  of  receiving,  and  hopes  soon  to  be 
favoured  with,  your  views  and  suggestions  in  relation  to  the  fall 
campaign.  His  determination  is  to  have  the  war  prosecuted  with 
yigour,  and  to  embrace  in  the  objects  to  be  compassed  in  that 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


673 


campaign,  such  as  will  dispose  the  enemy  to  desire  an  end  of  the 
war.  Shall  the  campaign  be  conducted  with  the  view  of  striking 
at  the  city  of  Mexico,  or  confined,  so  far  as  regards  the  forces 
under  your  immediate  command,  to  the  northern  provinces  of 
Mexico?  Your  views  on  this  point  will,  doubtless,  have  an  im- 
portant influence  upon  the  determination  of  the  government  here. 
Should  our  army  penetrate  far  into  the  interior  of  Mexico,  how  are 
supplies  to  be  obtained  ?  Can  they  be,  to  any  considerable  ex- 
tent, drawn  from  the  enemy's  country,  or  must  they  be  obtained 
from  the  United  States?  If  the  latter,  what  are  the  facilities 
and  difficulties  of  transportation  ?  These  are  very  important 
questions,  and  the  answers  to  them  will  have  an  essential  bear- 
ing in  settling  the  plan  and  objects  of  the  campaign ;  and  it  is 
desired  that  you  should  express  your  views  fully  in  regard  to 
them. 

"  Again :  it  is  important  to  know  your  opinion  of  the  descrip- 
tion of  troops  best  adapted  to  operations  in  the  interior  of  Mexico ; 
what  proportion  should  be  infantry,  artillery,  and  cavalry,  &c. 
A  peace  must  be  conquered  in  the  shortest  space  of  time  prac- 
ticable. Your  views  of  the  manner  of  doing  it  are  requested. 
It  is  not  doubted  that  you  will  push  your  advantages  to  the  utmost 
extent  it  can  be  done,  with  the  means  at  your  command." 

Before  receiving  this  letter.  General  Taylor  defined  his  exact 
condition  as  follows.     The  letters  are  dated  June  10th  and  17th. 
"  I  beg  leave  earnestly  to  invite  the  attention  of  the  depart- 
ment to  the  following  points : 

"  First.  The  great  influx  of  volunteers  at  Point  Isabel.  Five 
regiments  certainly  from  Louisiana,  numbering,  say  three  thou- 
sand six  hundred  men,  two  regiments  or  battalions  from  Louis- 
ville and  St.  Louis,  numbering,  say  twelve  hundred  more ; 
several  companies  from  Alabama,  and  I  know  not  how  many 
from  Texas ;  the  latter  now  beginning  to  arrive.  The  volunteer 
troops,  now  under  my  orders,  amount  to  nearly  six  thousand 
men.  How  far  they  may  be  increased  without  previous  notifi- 
cation to  me,  it  is  impossible  to  tell. 

"  Secondly.  The  entire  want  of  the  proper  kind  of  transporta- 
tion to  push  my  operations  up  the  river.  The  boats  on  which  I 
depended  for  this  service  were  found  to  be  nearly  destroyed  by 


674 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


worms,  and  entirely  unfit  for  the  navigation  of  the  river.  At  my 
instance*.  Major  Thomas,  on  the  18th  of  May,  required  from 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Hunt  a  boat  of  the  proper  description,  and 
followed  it  up  in  a  few  days  by  a  requisition  for  another.  At 
the  last  dates  from  New  Orleans  no  boat  had  been  procured. 
Captain  Sanders,  of  the  engineers,  was  despatched  by  me  to 
New  Orleans,  to  assist  in  procuring  suitable  boats,  but  I  havo 
yet  received  no  report  from  him. 

"  As  I  have  previously  reported,  my  operations  are  completely 
paralyzed  by  the  want  of  suitable  steamboats  to  navigate  the 
Rio  Grande.  Since  the  18th  of  May,  the  army  has  lain  in  camp 
near  this  place  continually  receiving  heavy  reinforcements  of 
men,  but  no  facility  for  water  transport,  without  which  additional 
numbers  are  but  an  embarrassment. 

"  I  desire  to  place  myself  right  in  this  matter,  and  to  let  the 
department  see  that  the  inactivity  of  the  army  results  from  no 
neglect  of  mine.  I  must  express  my  astonishment  that  such 
large  reinforcements  have  been  sent  forward  to  join  the  army, 
vnthout  being  accompanied  by  the  means  of  transportation,  both 
by  land  and  water,  to  render  them  efficient.  As  matters  now 
stand,  whatever  may  be  the  expectations  of  the  department,  I 
cannot  move  from  this  place ;  and  unless  Captain  Sanders  shall 
succeed  in  procuring  boats  of  the  proper  kind,  I  can  give  no  as- 
surance in  regard  to  future  operations." 

"  No  steamboats  have  been  sent  out  from  New  Orleans  for  the 
navigation  of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  in  the  absence  of  all  infor- 
mation on  that  point,  or  respecting  the  views  of  the  government, 
I  am  altogether  in  the  dark  as  to  our  future  operations.  I  must 
think  that  orders  have  been  given,  by  superior  authority,  to  sus- 
pend the  forwarding  of  means  of  transportation  from  New  Or- 
leans. I  cannot  otherwise  account  for  the  extraordinary  delay 
shown  by  the  quartermaster's  department  in  that  city.  Even 
the  mails,  containing  probably  important  despatches  from  the 
government,  are  not  expedited. 

"  Lieutenant-Colonel  Wilson  has  occupied  Reynosa  without 
opposition.  What  remains  of  the  Mexican  army  is  understood 
to  be  still  at  Linares,  and  has  suffered  from  disease.  General 
Torrejon  has  died,  and  Colonel  Carasco,  at  last  advices,  was  very 


PROMOTION    OF    TAYLOR. 


575 


ill.    I  learn  that  Generals  Arista  and  Ampudia  have  gone  to 
Mexico,  probably  for  the  trial  of  the  former,  or  both. 

"  Volunteer  regiments  have  arrived  from  Louisville  and  St 
Louis,  making,  vrith  those  from  Louisiana,  eight  strong  and  orga 
nized  battalions — mustering  over  five  thousand  men. 

"  In  addition,  vre  have  seven  companies  of  Alabama  volun- 
teers, and  twelve  or  fifteen  companies  from  Texas.  Others  from 
Texas  are  continually  arriving.  A  portion  of  these  volunteers 
has  been  lying  in  camp  at  this  place  for  nearly  a  month,  com- 
pletely paralyzed  by  the  want  of  transportation.  Exposed  as 
they  are  in  this  climate  to  diseases  of  the  camp,  and  without 
any  prospect,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  of  being  usefully  employed,  I 
must  recommend  that  they  be  allowed  to  return  to  their  homes. 

"I  have  despatched  Captain  McCuUoch,  a  good  partisan 
officer,  in  the  direction  of  Linares,  with  his  company,  to  gain 
information  touching  the  numbers  and  position  of  the  enemy, 
and  the  resources  of  the  country." 

For  his  ability  in  conducting  the  campaign  on  the  Rio  Grande, 
General  Taylor  received  the  thanks  of  Congress  and  a  commis- 
sion as  brevet  major-general,  signed  by  the  president.  Soon 
after  he  was  raised  to  a  full  major-general.  The  legislatures  ot 
several  states  voted  him  swords,  and  various  demonstrations, 
both  of  popular  meetings  and  official  bodies,  exhibited  the  con- 
fidence and  gratitude  of  the  people  toward  him. 


»i1 


■^l 


I 


<  I'tt'' 


?■!'■  r 


i\it!:kicaii  Uuhlltmvii. 


B7U 


ARRIVAL    OF    SANTA    ANNA. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

^totmiiig  0f  jgflonttttji, 

PON  the  3d  of  August,  1846,  a  procla. 
mation  was  issued  from  the  city  of 
Mexico,  declaring  the  constitution  ot 
1824  to  be  in  force,  and  inviting  all 
who  had  been  banished  from  the  coun- 
try since  its  abolition  to  return,  "  especially 
his  excellency  Don  Antonio  Lopez  de  Santa 
Anna,  well  deserving  of  his  country,  ac- 
knowledging him  as  general-in-chief  of  all 
the  forces  pledged  and  determined  to  fight,  in  order  that  the  na- 
tion may  recover  its  rights,  secure  its  liberty,  and  govern  itself." 
In  virtue  of  this  proclamation.  General  Santa  Anna  sailed  from 
Cuba,  passed  through  the  American  fleet,  under  permission 
from  President  Polk,  and  reached  Vera  Cruz  on  the  16th  of 
August.  Here  he  was  hailed  as  the  deliverer  of  the  nation,  and 
commenped  immediate  preparations  for  a  march  to  the  capital. 
His  entry  into  that  city  was  a  perfect  triumph ;  and  he  was  im- 
mediately appointed  president  of  the  republic  under  the  consti- 
tution of  1824,  and  commander-in-chief  of  the  army. 


SANTA    ANNA  S    PREPARATIONS. 


577 


This  movement  had  arisen  from  the  tyranny  of  Paredes.  In- 
stead of  conciliating  the  different  factions,  he  had  banished  or 
imprisoned  all  his  opponents,  suppressed  the  disaffected  journals, 
and  conducted  himself  toward  the  people  in  a  manner  the  most 
oppressive  and  despotic.  Dissatisfaction  and  anarchy  followed, 
opposition  daily  strengthened,  and  finally  Paredes  found  himself 
embarrassed  with  insuperable  difficulties.  On  the  28th  of  July, 
Vera  Cruz  declared  for  the  exiled  Santa  Anna ;  and  three  davs 
after,  the  proclamation  in  his  favour  was  issued.  Paredes  saw  his 
fall,  and,  after  making  a  desperate  opposition,  fled  from  the  capi- 
tal, but  was  afterwards  arrested  and  thrown  into  the  castle  of 
Perot«.  De  Salas,  his  principal  rival,  immediately  declared  for 
Santa  Anna,  and  held  the  government  until  his  return. 

On  assuming  the  reigns  of  government,  Santa  Anna  adopted 
a  system  of  measures  as  energetic  as  it  was  judicious.  He  re- 
established the  federal  government,  united  almost  all  opposition, 
pledged  his  private  property  for  the  general  welfare,  and  began 
extensive  preparations  for  the  raising  of  a  i'.arge  army.  He  de- 
clined acting  as  civil  governor,  and  placing  himself  at  the  head 
of  the  troops  in  the  capital,  marched  toward  the  seat  of  war. 

Meanwhile  General  Taylor  was  hastening  preparations  for  a 
march  into  the  interior ;  but  so  great  were  his  embarrassments, 
that  the  advance  divisions  under  Butler  and  Twiggs  were  not 
able  to  start  before  the  commencement  of  September.  The 
general  followed  on  the  6th,  leaving  General  Patterson  in  com- 
mand on  the  Rio  Grande. 

On  the  19th  he  reached  the  Walnut  Springs,  three  miles  from 
Monterey. 

The  operations  against  Monterey  were  conducted  by  two  di- 
visions, under  Generals  Taylor  and  Worth,  each  acting  inde- 
pendent of  the  other. 

The  former  thus  describes  his  own  operations : 

"At  two  o'clock,  p.  M.,  on  the  20th,  the  second  division  took  up 
its  march.  It  was  soon  discovered  by  officers  who  were  recon 
noitering  the  town,  and  communicated  to  General  Worth,  that 
its  movement  had  been  perceived  and  that  the  enemy  was 
throwing  reinforcements  towards  the  Bishop's  Palace  and  the 
height  which  commands  it.    To  divert  his  attention  as  far  as 


ijli 


ml 


11  IP 


Vlifl:, 


m 

m 


m 


iiiitilii;,   :,:  : ' JjJ 


30 


73 


678 


STORMING    OF    MONTEREY. 


The  American  Army  entering  Marin,  on  its  march  (o  Monterey. 

practicable,  the  first  division,  under  Brigadier-General  Twiggs, 
and  field  division  of  volunteers,  under  Major-General  Butler, 
were  displayed  in  front  of  the  town  until  dark.  Arrangements 
were  made  at  the  same  time  to  place  in  battery  during  the  night, 
at  a  suitable  distance  from  the  enemy's  main  work,  the  citadel, 
two  twenty-four-pounder  howitzers,  and  a  ten-inch  mortar,  with 
a  view  to  open  a  fire  on  the  following  day,  when  I  proposed  to 
make  a  diversion  in  favour  of  General  Worth's  movement.  The 
4th  infantry  covered  this  battery  during  the  night.  General 
Worth  had,  in  the  mean  time,  reached  and  occupied  for  the 
night  a  defensive  position  just  without  range  of  a  battery  above 
the  Bishop's  Palace,  having  made  a  reconnoissance  as  far  as  the 
Saltillo  road. 

"  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  21st,  I  received  a  note  from 
General  Worth,  written  at  half-past  nine  o'clock  the  night 
before,  suggesting  what  I  had  already  intended,  a  strong  diversion 
against  the  centre  and  left  of  the  town,  to  favour  his  enterprise 
against  the  heights  in  rear.  The  infantry  and  artillery  of  the 
first  division,  and  the  field  division  of  volunteers,  were  ordered 
under  arms,  and  took  the  direction  of  the  city,  leaving  one  com- 
pany of  each  regiment  as  a  camp  guard.     The  2d  dragoons, 


Taylor's  detailed  report. 


679 


under  Lieutenant-Colonel  May,  and  Colonel  Wood's  regiment 
of  Texas  mounted  volunteers,  under  the  immediate  direction  of 
General  Henderson,  were  directed  to  the  right  to  support  Gene 
ral  'V\''orth,  if  necessary,  and  to  make  an  impression,  if  practicable, 
upon  the  upper  quarter  of  the  city.  Upon  approaching  the  mor- 
tar battery,  the  1st  and  3d  regiments  of  infantry  and  battalion  of 
Baltimore  and  Washington  volunteers,  with  Captain  Bragg's 
field  battery — the  whole  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant-Colo- 
nel Garland — ^were  directed  towards  the  lower  part  of  the  town, 
with  orders  to  make  a  strong  demonstration,  and  carry  one  of  the 
enemy's  advanced  works,  if  it  could  be  done  without  too  heavy 
loss.  Major  Mansfield,  engineers,  and  Captain  Williams  and 
Lieutenant  Pope,  topographical  engineers,  accompanied  this 
column.  Major  Mansfield  being  charged  with  its  direction,  and 
the  designation  of  points  of  attack.  In  the  mean  time  the  mortar, 
served  by  Captain  Ramsay,  of  the  ordnance,  and  the  howitzer 
battery  under  Captain  Webster,  1st  artillery,  had  opened  their 
fire  upon  the  citadel,  which  was  deliberately  sustained,  and 
answered  from  the  works.  General  Butler's  division  had  now 
taken  up  a  position  in  rear  of  this  battery,  when  the  discharges 
of  artillery,  mingled  finally  with  a  rapid  fire  of  small  arms, 
showed  that  Lieutenant  Garland's  command  had  become  warmly 
engaged.  I  now  deemed  it  necessary  to  support  this  attack,  and 
accordingly  ordered  the  4th  infantry  and  three  regiments  of 
General  Butler's  division  to  march  at  once  by  the  left  flank  in 
the  direction  of  the  advanced  work  at  the  lower  extremity  of  the 
town,  leaving  one  regiment  (1st  Kentucky)  to  cover  the  mortar 
and  howitzer  battery.  By  some  mistake  two  companies  of  the 
4th  infantry  did  not  receive  this  order,  and  consequently  did  not 
join  the  advance  companies  until  some  time  afterwards. 

"  Lieutenant-Colonel  Garland's  command  had  approached  the 
town  in  a  direction  to  the  right  of  the  advanced  work  (No.  1.) 
at  the  north-eastern  angle  of  the  city,  and  the  engineer  oflficer, 
covered  by  skirmishers,  had  succeeded  in  entering  the  suburbs 
and  gaining  cover.  The  remainder  of  this  command  now  ad- 
vanced and  entered  the  town  under  a  heavy  fire  of  artillery  from 
the  citadel  and  the  works  on  the  left,  and  of  musketry  from  the 
houses  and  small  works  in  front.    A  movement  to  the  right  was 


i'  'til 


}  ■   t 


680       Taylor's  detailed  report. 


Storming  of  Port  Teneria. 

attempted  with  a  view  to  gain  the  rear  of  No.  1,  and  carry  that 
worlc,  but  the  troops  were  so  much  exposed  to  a  fire  which  they 
could  not  effectually  return,  and  had  already  sustained  such 
severe  loss,  particularly  in  officers,  that  it  was  deemed  best  to 
withdraw  them  to  a  more  secure  position.  Captain  Backus,  1st 
infantry,  however,  with  a  portion  of  his  own  and  other  com- 
panies, had  gained  the  roof  of  a  tannery,  which  looked  directly 
into  the  gorge  of  No.  1,  and  from  which  he  poured  a  most 
destructive  fire  into  that  work  and  upon  the  strong  building  in 
its  rear.  This  fire  happily  coincided  in  point  of  time  with  the 
advance  of  a  portion  of  the  volunteer  division  upon  No.  1,  and 
contributed  largely  to  the  fall  of  that  strong  and  important  work. 
"  The  three  regiments  of  the  volunteer  division,  under  the 
immediate  command  of  Major-General  Butler,  had  in  the  moan 
time  advanced  in  the  direction  of  No.  1.  The  leading  brigade, 
under  Brigadier-General  Quitman,  continued  its  advance  upon 
that  work,  preceded  by  three  companies  of  the  4th  infantry, 
while  General  Butler,  with  the  first  Ohio  regiment  entered  the 
town  to  the  right.  The  companies  of  the  4th  infantry  had  ad- 
vanced within  short  range  of  the  work,  when  they  were  received 
by  a  fire  that  almost,  in  one  moment,  struck  down  one-third  of 


TAYLOR  S  DETAILED  REPORT. 


581 


the  officers  and  men,  and  rendered  it  necessary  to  retire  and 
effect  a  conjunction  with  the  two  other  companies  then  advancing. 
General  Quitman's  brigade,  though  suffering  most  severely, 
particularly  in  the  Tennessee  regiment,  continued  its  advance, 
and  finally  carried  the  work  in  handsome  style,  as  well  as  the 
strong  building  in  its  rear.  Five  pieces  of  artillery,  a  consider- 
able supply  of  ammunition,  and  thirty  prisoners,  including  three 
officers,  fell  into  their  hands.  Major-General  Butler,  with  the 
1st  Ohio  regiment,  after  entering  the  edge  of  the  town,  discovered 
that  nothing  was  to  be  accomplished  in  his  front,  and  at  this 
point,  yielding  to  the  suggestion  of  several  officers,  I  ordered  a 
retrograde  movement;  but  learning  almost  immediately,  from 
one  of  my  staff,  that  the  battery  No.  1  was  in  our  possession, 
the  order  was  countermanded ;  and  I  determined  to  hold  the 
battery  and  defenses  already  gained.  General  Butler,  with  the 
1st  Ohio  regiment,  then  entered  the  town  at  a  point  farther  to 
the  left,  and  marched  in  the  direction  of  the  battery  No.  2. 
While  making  an  examination,  with  a  view  to  ascertain  the 
possibility  of  carrying  this  second  work  by  storm,  the  general 
was  wounded,  and  soon  after  compelled  to  quit  the  field.  As  the 
strength  of  No.  2,  and  the  heavy  musketry  fire  flanking  the  ap 
proach,  rendered  it  impossible  to  carry  it  without  great  loss,  the 
1st  Ohio  regiment  was  withdrawn  from  the  town. 

"  Fragments  of  the  various  regiments  engaged  were  now  under 
cover  of  the  captured  battery,  and  some  buildings  in  its  front, 
and  on  the  right.  The  field  batteries  of  Captains  Bragg  and 
Ridgely  were  also  partially  covered  by  the  battery.  An  inces- 
sant fire  was  kept  up  on  this  position  from  battery  No.  2,  and 
other  works  on  its  right,  and  from  the  citadel  on  all  our  ap- 
proaches. General  Twiggs,  though  quite  unwell,  joined  me  at 
this  point,  and  was  instrumental  in  causing  the  artillery  captured 
from  the  enemy  to  be  placed  in  battery,  and  served  by  Captain 
Ridgely  against  No.  2,  until  the  arrival  of  Captain  "Webster's 
howitzer  battery,  which  took  its  place.  In  the  mean  time,  I 
directed  such  men  as  could  be  collected  of  the  1st,  3d,  and  4th 
regiments,  and  Baltimore  battalion,  to  enter  the  town,  penetrating 
to  the  right,  and  carry  the  2d  battery  if  possible.  This  com- 
mand, under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Garland,  advanced  beyond  the 

3c2 


■.'f  ..|. 


if, 


588 


Taylor's  detailed  report. 


Storiiiiiij,'  of  Munterey. 

bridge  "  Purisima,"  when,  finding  it  impracticable  to  gain  the 
rear  of  the  2d  battery,  a  portion  of  it  sustained  themselves  for 
some  time  in  that  advanced  position ;  but  as  no  permanent  im- 
pression could  be  made  at  that  point,  and  the  main  object  of  the 
general  operation  had  been  effected,  the  command,  including  a 
section  of  Captain  Ridgely's  battery,  which  had  joined  it,  was 
withdrawn  to  battery  No.  1.  During  the  absence  of  this  column, 
a  demonstration  of  cavalry  was  reported  in  the  direction  of  the 
citadel.  Captain  Bragg,  who  was  at  hand,  immediately  galloped 
with  his  battery  to  a  suitable  position,  from  which  a  few  dis- 
charges effectually  dispersed  the  enemy.  Captain  Miller,  1st 
infantry,  was  despatched  with  a  mixed  command  to  support  the 
battery  on  this  service.  The  enemy's  lancers  had  previously 
charged  upon  the  Ohio  and  part  of  the  Mississippi  regiment, 
near  some  fields  at  a  distance  from  the  edge  of  the  town,  and  had 
been  repulsed  with  a  considerable  loss.  A  demonstration  of 
cavalry  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  was  also  dispersed  in 
the  course  of  the  afternoon  by  Captain  Ridgely's  battery,  and  the 
squadrons  returned  to  the  city.  At  the  approach  of  evening,  all 
the  troops  that  had  been  engaged  were  ordered  back  to  camp, 
txcept  Captain  Ridgely's  battery,  and  the  regular  infantry  of  the 


TAYLOR  S    DETAILED    REPORT. 


683 


first  division,  who  were  detailed  as  a  guard  for  the  works  during 
the  night,  under  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Garland 
One  battalion  of  the  1st  Kentucky  regiment  was  ordered  tc 
reinforce  this  command.  Intrenching  tools  were  procured,  and 
additional  strength  was  given  to  the  works,  and  protection  to  the 
men,  by  working  parties  during  the  night,  under  the  direction 
of  Lieutenant  Scarritt,  engineers. 

"  The  main  object  proposed  in  the  morning  had  been  effected. 
A  powerful  diversion  had  been  made  to  favour  the  operations  of 
the  2d  division,  one  of  the  enemy's  advanced  works  had  been 
carried,  and  we  now  had  a  strong  foothold  in  the  town.  But 
this  had  not  been  accomplished  without  a  heavy  loss,  embracing 
some  of  our  gallant  and  promising  olTicers.  The  number  of 
killed  and  wounded  incident  to  the  operations  in  the  lower  part 
of  the  city  on  the  2 1st  is  three  hundred  and  ninety-four. 
,  "  Early  in  the  morning  of  this  day,  (2lHt,)  the  advance  of  the 
2d  division  had  encountered  the  enemy  in  force,  and  after  a 
brief  but  sharp  conflict,  repulsed  him  with  heavy  loss.  General 
Worth  then  succeeded  in  gaining  a  pusition  on  the  Saltillo  road, 
thus  cutting  the  enemy's  line  of  communication.  From  this 
position  the  two  heights  south  of  the  Saltillo  road  were  carried 
in  succession,  and  the  gun  taken  in  one  of  them  turned  upon  the 
Bishop's  Palace.  These  important  successes  were  fortunately 
obtained  with  comparatively  small  loss ;  Captain  McKavett,  Stb 
infantry,  being  the  only  officer  killed. 

"  The  22d  day  of  September  passed  without  any  active  opera 
tions  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city.  The  citadel  and  other  works 
continued  to  fire  at  parties  exposed  to  their  range,  and  at  the 
work  now  occupied  by  our  troops.  The  guard  left  in  it  the  pre- 
ceding night,  except  Captain  Ridgely's  company,  was  relieved 
at  midday  by  General  Quitman's  brigade,  Captain  Bragg's 
battery  was  thrown  under  cover  in  front  of  the  town  to  repel 
any  demonstration  of  cavalry  in  that  quarter.  At  dawn  of  day, 
the  height  above  the  Bishop's  Palace  was  carried,  and  soon  after 
meridian,  the  palace  itself  was  taken  and  its  guns  turned  upon 
*,he  fugitive  garrison.  The  object  for  which  tlie  2d  division  was 
detached  had  thus  been  completely  accomplished,  and  I  felt 
confident  that  with  a  strong  force  occupying  the  road  and  heights 


ill 


III 

.11 U 


ti-' 


»:*,: 


W I  i 


,t 


684 


Taylor's  detailed  report. 


teV 


in  his  rear,  and  a  good  position  below  the  city  in  our  possession, 
the  enemy  could  not  possibly  maintain  the  town. 

"  During  the  night  of  the  22d,  the  enemy  evacuated  nearly  all 
'his  defenses  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city.  This  was  reported  to 
me  early  in  the  morning  of  the  23d  by  General  Quitman,  who 
had  already  meditated  an  assault  upon  those  works.  I  immedi- 
ately sent  instructions  to  that  officer,  leaving  it  to  his  discretion 
to  enter  the  city,  covering  his  men  by  the  houses  and  walls,  and 
advance  carefully  as  far  as  he  might  deem  prudent.  After 
ordering  the  remainder  of  the  troops  as  a  reserve,  under  the 
orders  of  Brigadier-General  Twiggs,  I  repaired  to  the  abandoned 
works,  and  discovered  that  a  portion  of  General  Quitman's 
brigade  had  entered  the  town,  and  were  successfully  forcing 
their  way  towards  the  principal  plaza.  I  then  ordered  up  the 
2d  regiment  of  Texas  mounted  volunteers,  who  entered  the  city, 
dismounted,  and,  under  the  immediate  orders  of  General  Hen- 
derson, co-operated  with  General  Quitman's  brigade.  Captain 
Bragg's  battery  was  also  ordered  up,  supported  by  the  3d  in- 
fantry ;  and  after  firing  for  some  time  at  the  cathedral,  a  portion 
of  it  was  likewise  thrown  into  the  city.  Our  troops  advanced 
from  house  to  house,  and  from  square  to  square,  until  they 
reached  a  street  but  one  square  in  rear  of  the  principal  plaza,  in 
and  near  which  the  enemy's  force  was  mainly  concentrated. 
This  advance  was  conducted  vigorously,  but  with  due  caution, 
and  although  destructive  to  thei  enemy,  was  attended  with  but 
small  loss  on  our  part.  Captain  Ridgely,  in  the  mean  time,  had 
served  a  captured  piece  in  battery  No.  1,  against  the  city,  until 
the  advance  of  our  men  rendered  it  imprudent  to  fire  in  the 
direction  of  the  cathedral.  I  was  now  satisfied  that  we  could 
operate  successfully  in  the  city,  and  that  the  enemy  had  retired 
from  the  lower  portion  of  it  to  make  a  stand  behind  his  barri- 
cades. As  General  Quitman's  brigade  had  been  on  duty  the 
previous  night,  I  determined  to  withdraw  the  troops  to  the 
evacuated  works,  and  concert  with  General  Worth  a  combined 
attack  upon  the  town.  The  troops  accordingly  fell  back  de- 
liberately, in  good  order,  and  resumed  their  original  positions, 
General  Quitman's  brigade  being  relieved  after  nightfall  by  that 
of  General  Hamer.     On  my  return  to  camp,  I  met  an  officer 


TAYLOR  S  DETAILED  REPORT. 


086 


ur  possession, 


Imet  an  officer 


with  the  intelligence  that  General  Worth,  induced  by  the  firing 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  city,  was  about  making  an  attack  at  the 
upper  extremity,  which  had  also  been  evacuated  by  the  enemy 
to  a  considerable  distance.  I  regretted  that  this  information  had 
not  reached  me  before  leaving  the  city,  but  still  deemed  it  inex- 
pedient to  change  my  orders,  and  accordingly  returned  to  the 
camp.  A  note  from  General  Worth,  written  at  eleven  o'clock, 
p.  M.,  informed  me  that  he  had  advanced  to  within  a  short  dis- 
tance of  the  principal  plaza,  and  that  the  mortar  (which  had  been 
sent  to  his  division  in  the  morning)  was  doing  good  execution 
within  effective  range  of  the  enemy's  position. 

"  Desiring  to  make  no  further  attempt  upon  the  city  without 
complete  concert  as  to  the  lines  and  mode  of  approach,  I  in- 
structed that  officer  to  suspend  his  advance  until  I  could  have 
an  interview  with  him  on  the  following  morning  at  his  head- 
quarters. 

"  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  24th,  I  received,  through  Colo- 
nel Moreno,  a  communication  from  General  Ampudia,  proposing 
to  evacuate  the  town ;  which,  with  the  answer,  were  forwarded 
with  my  first  despatch.  I  arranged  with  Colonel  Moreno,  a 
cessation  of  fire  until  twelve  o'clock,  at  which  hour  I  would  re- 
ceive the  answer  of  the  Mexican  general  at  General  Worth's 
head-quarters,  to  which  I  soon  repaired.  In  the  mean  time. 
General  Ampudia  had  signified  to  General  Worth  his  desire  for 
a  personal  interview  with  me,  to  which  I  acceded,  and  which 
finally  resulted  in  a  capitulation,  placing  the  town  and  the 
materiel  of  war,  with  certain  exceptions,  in  our  possession.  A 
copy  of  that  capitulation  was  transmitted  with  my  first  despatch. 

"  Upon  occupying  the  city,  it  was  discovered  to  be  of  great 
strength  in  itself,  and  to  have  its  approaches  carefully  and 
strongly  fortified.  The  town  and  worlts  were  armed  with  forty- 
two  pieces  of  cannon,  well  supplied  .with  ammunition,  and 
manned  with  a  force  of  at  least  seven  thousand  troops  of  the  line, 
and  from  two  to  three  thousand  irregulars.  The  force  under  my 
orders  before  Monterey,  as  exhibited  by  the  accompanying  re- 
turn, was  four  hundred  and  twenty-five  officers,  and  six  thousand 
two  hundred  and  twenty  men.  Our  artillery  consisted  of  one 
ten-inch  mortar,  two  twenty-four-pounder  howitzers,  ana  four 

74 


I 


''H,i  :■: 


086 


STORMINO    OF    MONTERLY. 


hw 


'Ml 


Th«  BItbop'i  PaUkca. 

light  field  batteries  of  four  guns  each — the  mortar  being  the  only 
piece  suitable  to  the  operations  of  a  siege. 

"  Our  loss  is  twelve  officers  and  one  hundred  and  eight  men 
killed ,  thirty-one  officers  and  three  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
men  wounded.  That  of  the  enemy  is  not  known,  but  is  be- 
lieved considerably  to  exceed  our  own." 

At  noon  of  the  20th,  General  Worth  marched  from  the  camp, 
east  of  the  town,  in  the  direction  of  the  heights  west,  McCul- 
loch's  and  Gillispie's  companies  of  rangers  forming  the  recon- 
noitering  party.  At  night,  the  division  bivouacked  almost  within 
range  of  the  guns  stationed  upon  the  highest  point  of  the  hill 
on  which  the  Bishop's  Palace  is  situated.  At  daylight  of  the 
21st,  the  column  was  again  in  motion,  and,  in  a  few  moments, 
was  turning  the  point  of  a  ridge,  which  protruded  out  toward 
the  enemy's  guns,  bringing  us  as  near  to  them  as  their  gunners 
could  desire.  They  immediately  opened  upon  the  column  with 
a  howitzer  and  twelve-pounder,  firing  shell  and  round-shot  as 
fast  as  they  could  discharge  their  pieces. 

The  road  now  wound  in  toward  a  gorge,  but  not  far  enough 
to  be  out  of  range  of  their  guns,  which  still  played  upon  us. 
Another  ridge  lay  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  beyond  the 


STORMING    OF    MONTEREY. 


687 


first,  around  the  termina^ion  of  which  the  road  wound,  bringing 
it  under  the  lofty  summit  of  a  height  which  rises  between  Palace 
Hill  and  the  mountains,  which  arise  over  us  on  the  west.  When 
the  head  of  the  column  approached  this  ridge,  a,  body  of  Mexi- 
can cavalry  came  dashing  around  that  point  to  charge  upon  our 
advance.  Captain  Gillespie  immediately  ordered  his  men  to 
dismount  and  place  themselves  in  ambush.  The  enemy  evi 
dently  did  not  perceive  this  manceuver;  but  the  moment  they 
came  up,  the  Texans  opened  upon  them  a  most  destructive  fire, 
uns»addling  a  number  of  them.  McCuUoch's  company  now  dashed 
into  them.  Captain  C.  F.  Smith's  camp,  and  Captain  Scott's 
camp  of  artillery,  (acting  as  infantry,)  and  Lieutenant  Longstreet's 
company  of  the  8th  infantry,  with  another  company  of  the  same 
regiment,  likewise  charged  upon  the  enemy.  The  Texan  iiorse- 
men  were  soon  engaged  with  them  in  a  sort  of  hand  to  hand 
skirmish,  in  which  a  number  of  them  fell,  and  one  Texan  was 
killed  and  two  wounded. 

Colonel  Duncan  now  opened  upon  them  with  his  battery  of 
light  artillery,  pouring  a  few  discharges  of  grape  upon  them, 
and  scattering  them  like  chaflf.  Several  men  and  horses  fell 
under  this  destructive  fire.  One  horse  and  his  rider  bounded 
some  feet  into  the  air,  and  both  fell  dead  and  tumbled  down  the 
steep.  The  foot  companies  above  named  then  rushed  up  the 
steep,  and  fired  over  the  ridge  at  the  retreating  enemy,  a  consi- 
derable body  of  whom  were  concealed  from  our  view,  around 
the  point  of  the  hill.  About  thirty  of  the  enemy  were  killed  in 
this  sliirmish,  and  among  them  a  captain,  who,  with  two  or  three 
others,  fell  in  the  road.  The  captain  was  wounded  in  three 
places,  the  last  shot  hitting  him  in  the  forehead.  He  fought 
gallantly  to  the  last. 

The  light  batteries,  one  of  which  was  commanded  by  Lieute 
nant  Mackall,  were  now  driven  upon  the  slope  of  the  ridge,  and 
the  howitzers  opened  upon  the  height  of  Palace  Hill.  A  few 
shots  only  were  thrown,  before  the  enemy  commenced  firing 
with  a  nine-pounder  from  the  height  immediately  over  the  right 
of  the  column,  aiming  at  Duncan's  batteries.  The  several  regi- 
ments took  positions,  and  a  few  more  shells  were  thrown  towards 
Palace  Hill,  but  did  no  execution.    The  nine-pounder  continued 


1  . 

!    i 


j:ii 


liri 


5SS 


8  TOR  RUNG    OF    MONTEREY. 


to  throw  its  shot  witli  great  precision  al  our  batteries,  one  ball 
falling  directly  in  the  midst  of  the  pieces,  but,  fortunately,  hit- 
ting  neither  men  nor  guns.  Finding  his  batteries  thus  exposed, 
and  unable  to  effect  any  thing,  Colonel  Duncan  removed  his 
command  to  a  rancho  about  half  a  mile  further  up  the  Saltillo 
road,  where  General  Worth  took  up  his  position,  after  ordering 
tlie  foot  regiments  to  form  along  tlie  fence  near  the  point  of  the 
ridge.  The  artillery  battalion,  5th,  7th,  and  8th  infantry,  and 
the  Louisiana  volunteers,  remained  in  this  position  about  tv  o 
hours,  directly  under  fire  of  the  enemy's  guns. 

At  half-past  ten,  the  column  moved  towards  the  general's 
position.  At  this  time,  Captain  McKavett,  of  the  8th  infantry, 
was  shot  through  the  heart  by  a  nine-pound  ball,  and  a  private 
of  the  5th  infantry  was  severely  wounded  in  the  thigh,  and  he 
died  the  next  morning.  About  fifty  Mexicans  now  appeared 
upon  the  side  hill  over  the  moving  column,  and  fired  at  our 
troops  some  hundred  musket-shot,  without  doing  any  harm. 
The  division  deployed  into  t!ie  position  pointed  out,  and  remained 
an  hour  or  two,  when  Captain  C.  F.  Smith,  of  the  artillery  bat- 
talion, with  his  own  company,  and  Captain  Scott's,  together 
with  four  companies  of  Texan  Rangers  on  foot,  were  ordered  to 
storm  the  second  height.  This  the  gallant  officer  cheerfully 
undertook,  and  was  followed  with  enthusiasm  by  the  officers 
and  men  of  his  command.  It  was  considered  on  all  sides  to  be 
a  dangerous  undertaking,  and  his  party  was  regarded  most  em- 
phatically as  a  fm'hrn  hope.  That  the  height  would  be  taken 
no  one  doubted,  but  that  many  brave  fellows  would  fall  in  the 
attempt  seemed  inevitable.  The  distance  to  be  climbed,  after 
reaching  the  foot  of  the  hill,  was  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile;  a 
part  of  the  way  almost  perpendicular,  through  thorn-bushes  and 
over  sharp-pointed  rocks  and  loose  sliding  stones. 

The  7th  infantry,  commanded  by  Captain  Miles,  was  ordered 
to  support  Captain  Smith's  party,  and  by  marching  directly  to 
the  foot  of  the  height,  arrived  before  Captain  Smith,  who  had 
been  ordered  to  take  a  circuitous  route.  Captain  Miles  sent  up 
Lieutenant  Gantt,  with  a  detachment  of  men  upon  the  hill-side, 
to  divert  the  attention  of  the  enemy  from  Captain  Smith's  com- 
mand, which  could  not  yet  be  seen.     The  7th  had  already  sua- 


\'. 


STORMING    or    MONTEREY. 


689 


tained  a  heavy  fire  of  grape  and  round-shot,  as  they  forded  the 
San  Juan,  which  winds  round  the  foot  of  the  heij][)<t,  and  which 
fell  like  a  shower  of  hail  in  their  ranks  without  killinof  a  man 
Lieutenant  Gantt's  party  were  greelv  1  with  grape  anJ  round- 
shot,  which  cut  the  shrubs,  and  tore  up  tlif  loose  stones  about 
the  ranks,  without  killing  any  one  ;  but  the  gallant  young  officer 
came  within  an  inch  of  being  killed  by  a  cannon-shot,  wljich  ran 
down  the  steep  and  filled  his  face  with  fragments  of  rock,  dust, 
and  gravel.  The  fire  was  accompanied  by  a  constant  discharge 
of  musketry,  the  enemy  covering  the  upper  part  of  the  liill-side ; 
but  the  detachment  continued  to  move  up,  driving  the  Mexicans 
back,  until  they  were  recalled. 

Captain  Smitl  's  party  now  arrived  and  moved  up  the  hill, 
the  rangers  in  advance,  and  did  not  halt  for  an  instant  until  the 
Mexicans  were  driven  from  the  summit.  Whilst  this  was 
going  on.  Colonel  Persifer  F.  Smith,  who  commanded  the  6th 
and  7th  infantry — the  6th,  with  Blanchard's  Louisiana  boys, 
under  Major  Martin  Scott,  had  been  ordered  to  support  the 
whole — gave  orders  for  these  commands  to  pass  around  on  each 
side  and  storm  the  fort,  which  was  situated  about  half  a  mile 
back  of  the  summit  on  the  same  ridge,  and  commanded  the 
Bishop's  Palace.  Such  a  foot-race  as  now  ensued  has  seldom 
if  ever  been  seen;  the  Louisiana  boys  making  tremendous 
strides  to  be  in  with  the  foremost.  Captain  Smith  had  the  gun 
which  he  took  upon  the  height,  run  down  towards  the  breast- 
works, and  fired  into  it.  Then  came  Colonel  P.  F.  Smith's  men 
with  a  perfect  rush,  firing  and  cheering — the  6th  and  7th,  and 
Louisianians,  reaching  the  ridge  above  nearly  at  the  same  time. 
The  Mexicans  fired  us  with  grape,  but  it  did  not  cause  an  in- 
stant's liesitation  in  our  ranks.  Our  men  ran,  and  fired,  and 
cheered  until  they  reached  the  work,  the  foremost  entering  at 
one  end,  while  the  Mexicans,  about  a  thousand  in  number,  left 
the  other  in  retreat.  The  colours  of  the  5th  infantry  were  in- 
fitaiitly  raised,  and  scarcely  were  they  up  before  those  of  the  7th 
were  alongside.  The  three  commands  entered  the  fort  together 
—so  close  was  the  race — the  5th  a  little  in  advance.  J.  W. 
Miller,  of  Blanchard's  company,  was  among  the  first  four  or  five 
who  entered.     The  three  commands  may  be  said  to  have  comr 

8D 


^il 


T7 


i 


\l 


1' 


690 


STORMING    OF    MONTEREY. 


out  even  in  the  race,  for  the  7th  was  not  five  seconds  behind 
In  less  than  five  minutes  the  gun  found  in  the  fort  was  thunder- 
ing away  at  the  Bishop's  Palace. 

On  the  morning  of  the  21st,  Colonel  Childs,  of  the  artillery 
battalion,  with  three  of  his  companies— one  commanded  by 
Captain  Vinton,  another  by  Captain  J.  B.  Scott,  and  the  third 
by  Lieutenant  Ayres — and  three  companies  of  the  8th  infantry — 
company  A,  commanded  by  Lieutenants  Longstreet  and  Wain- 
wright ;  company  B,  by  Lieutenants  Halloway  and  Merchant ; 
conipany  D,  by  Captain  Scrivner  and  Lieutenant  Montgomery 
— were  ordered  to  take  the  summit  of  Palace  Hill. 

The  colonel  left  the  camp  at  three  o'clock,  a.  m.,  and  climbed 
the  mountain  through  the  chaparral,  and  up  the  steep  rocks, 
with  such  secrecy,  that  at  daybreak  he  was  within  one  hun- 
dred yards  of  the  breastwork  of  sandbags  before  he  was  disco- 
vered. Three  of  the  artillerymen  having  rushed  ahead  too  fast, 
found  themselves  in  the  hands  of  the  Mexicans.  They  sur- 
rendered, and  were  shot  down  with  the  very  pieces  they  had 
given  up. 

Colonel  Staniford  went  up  at  daylight  with  the  balance  of  the 
8th,  and  Major  Scott  led  up  the  5th.  The  Louisiana  troops 
were  on  the  hill,  with  the  5th,  at  eight  o'clock,  a.  m.  One  of 
Duncan's  howitzers,  in  charge  of  Lieutenant  Rowland,  was 
dragged  up,  or  rather  lifted  up,  and  opened  on  the  palace,  which 
was  filled  with  troops.  The  Mexicans  charged  on  the  howitzer, 
but  were  driven  back.  A  constant  firing  was  kept  up  for  seve- 
ral hours,  particularly  by  Blanchard's  men,  who  left  a  dozen 
Mexicans  dead  upon  the  hill-side.  At  length  a  charge  was 
ordered,  and  our  men  rushed  down  upon  the  palace,  entered  a 
hole  in  a  door  that  had  been  blocked  up,  but  opened  by  the 
howitzer,  and  soon  cleared  the  work  of  the  few  Mexicans  wlio 
remained.  Lieutenant  Ayres  was  the  lucky  one  who  first 
reached  the  halyards  and  lowered  the  flag.  One  eighteen-pound 
brass  piece,  a  beautiful  article,  manufactured  in  Liverpool  in 
1842,  and  a  short  brass  twelve-pound  howitzer,  were  captured, 
with  a  large  quantity  of  ammunition,  and  some  muskets  and 
lances. 

The  fort  adjoining  tne  palace  walls  is  not  complete,  but  is 


\i 


STORMING    OF    MONTEREY. 


591 


and  climbed 


Street  Fight  on  Qeneral  Worth'n  side. 

very  neatly  constructed  as  far  as  it  is  built.  The  killed  on  our 
side,  in  taking  the  palace,  were  seven — wounded,  twelve.  Lieu- 
tenant Wainwright  was  wounded  in  the  side  and  arm  b^'"  a 
musket-ball.  Colonel  Childs,  Captain  Vinton,  Captain  Blanch- 
ard,  Lieutenant  Longstreet,  Lieutenant  Clark,  (adjutant  of  the 
6th,)  Lieutenant  Ayres,  Lieutenant  McCown,  and  the  two 
Nicholls,  seem  to  have  been  the  heroes  of  the  day.  The  two 
latter  performed  prodigies,  and  not  only  Judge  Nicholls,  but  old 
Louisiana  may  well  be  proud  of  such  sons.  The  Mexicans  lost 
at  least  thirty  killed. 

On  the  next  day,  the  whole  division  under  General  Worth 
entered  the  town  on  the  west  side,  and  fought  their  way  through 
the  streets.  The  heart  of  the  city  was  nothing  but  one  fortifica- 
tion, the  thick  walls  being  pierced  for  muskets  and  cannon,  and 
placed  so  as  to  rake  the  principal  streets.  The  roofs  being  flat, 
and  the  front  walls  rising  three  or  four  feet  above  the  roof,  of 
course  every  street  had  a  line  of  breastworks  on  each  side.  A 
ten-inch  mortar  came  around  from  General  Taylor,  and  was 
placed  in  the  largest  plaza,  to  which  our  troops  fought  step  by 
step  and  from  house  to  house.  General  Worth  gained  all  the 
strongholds  that  commanded  the  city,  and  pushed  the  enemy  as 


!  I 


O'.VZ 


TERMS    OF    CAPITULATION. 


far  as  they  could  go  without  falling  into  General  Taylor's  hands  on 
the  other  side  of  the  city.  All  this  was  done  with  the  loss  of 
only  about  seventy  killed  and  wounded. 

On  the  evening  of  the  23d,  General  Ampudia  requested  of 
the  American  commander  that  the  women  and  children  might 
be  allowed  to  remove  from  the  city,  with  their  personal  effects. 
This  was  refused.  On  the  following  morning,  a  proposal  was 
offered,  of  surrendering  the  city  on  condition  that  the  Mexicans 
might  retain  all  the  personal  and  military  property  belonging  to 
it.  This  was  refused  but  at  the  same  time  each  general  named 
commissioners  to  negotiate  a  capitulation.  A  personal  interview 
subsequently  took  place  between  Taylor  and  Ampudia,  and 
Monterey  finally  surrendered  on  the  following  terms. 

Art.  1.  As  the  legitimate  result  of  the  operations  before  this 
pi  ice,  and  the  present  position  of  the  contending  armies,  it  is 
ac^reed  that  the  city,  the  fortifications,  cannon,  the  munitions  of 
war,  and  all  other  public  property,  with  the  under-mentioned 
exceptions,  be  surrendered  to  the  commanding  general  of  the 
United  States  forces  now  at  Monterey. 

Art.  2.  That  the  Mexican  forces  be  allowed  to  retain  the  fol- 
lowing arms,  to  wit :  the  commissioned  officers  their  side  arms, 
the  infantry  their  arms  and  accoutrements,  the  cavalry  their 
arms  and  accoutrements,  the  artillery  one  field  battery,  not  to 
exceed  six  pieces,  with  twenty-one  rounds  of  ammunition. 

Art.  3.  That  the  Mexican  armed  forces  retire  within  spven 
days  from  this  date,  beyond  the  line  formed  by  the  pass  o^  the 
Rinconada,  the  city  of  Linares,  and  San  Fernando  de  Prt><ias. 

Art.  4.  That  the  citadel  at  Monterey  be  evacuated  )y  ihe 
Mexican,  and  occupied  by  the  American  forces,  to->  iorro\» 
morning  at  ten  o'clock. 

Art.  5.  To  avoid  collisions,  and  for  mutual  ponvenience, 
that  the  troops  of  the  United  States  will  not  occupy  the  city  until 
tlie  Mexican  forces  have  withdrawn,  except  for  hospital  and 
storage  purposes. 

Art.  6.  That  the  forces  of  the  United  Stat*  » will  not  advance 
beyond  the  line  specified  in  the  2d  [3d]  artic  e,  before  the  expi- 
ration of  eight  weeks,  or  until  the  orders  or  instructions  of  the 
respective  governments  can  be  received. 


TERMS    OF    CAPITULATION. 


593 


Art.  7.  That  the  public  property  to  be  delivered  shall  be 
turned  over  and  received  by  officers  appointed  by  the  command 
ing  generals  of  the  two  armies. 

Art.  8.  That  all  doubts  as  to  the  meaning  of  any  of  the  pre- 
ceding articles  shall  be  solved  by  an  equitable  construction,  and 
on  principles  of  liberality  to  the  retiring  army. 

Art.  9.  That  the  Mexican  flag,  when  struck  at  the  citadel, 
may  be  saluted  by  its  own  battery. 

Monterey  became  the  main  depot  of  General  Taylor.  It  is 
an  excellent  city  for  the  head-quarters  of  an  army,  being  pro- 
vided with  every  kind  of  defense,  vast  magazines  for  supplies, 
hospitals,  stores,  and  good  water.  Soon  after  General  Wool 
with  the  central  division  of  the  army,  arrived  at  Monclova,  from 
his  famous  march .  against  Chihuahua.  He  was  ordered  with 
twenty-four  hundred  men  and  six  field-pieces  to  Parras;  and 
General  Worth  with  twenty-five  hundred  men  and  eight  pieces 
to  Saltillo.     Both  these  places  were  occupied  without  opposition 


I-  1  m\ 


!l     1 


Mil 


Wwth  at  MMtony. 


tat 


m 


Mi' 


ii:  m 


594 


SANTA    ANNAS    PREPARATIONS. 


3~--^*>yWj-»  >• 


Santa  Anna. 


CHAPTER  V. 


lattlt  of  ^ntna  Fitfta. 


WEEK  before  the  capture  of  Monterey,  Santa 
Anna  had  received  the  appointment  of  military 
dictator,  and  immediately  proceeded  to  San  Luis 
Potosi,  to  hasten  the  raising  of  an  efficient  army. 
In  November  he  found  himself  at  the  head  of 
twenty  thousand  men,  most  of  them  raw  recruits,  and 
poorly  equipped.  It  was  his  wish  to  clothe  and  discipline 
this  force  before  marching  against  Taylor,  but  such  was 
the  popular  clamour  for  immediate  action,  that  faction  began 
again  to  show  herself.  Some  even  denounced  him  as  a  traitor. 
Accordingly  the  general  was  obliged  to  sacrifice  his  superior 
judgment  to  the  popular  will,  and  in  the  same  month  we  find 
him  proceeding  slowly  toward  his  opponent's  camp. 


TAYLOR    SUMMONED    TO    SURRENDER. 


595 


About  this  time  General  Taylor  received  a  letter  from  the 
war  department,  announcing  that  the  terms  of  capitulation  at 
Monterey,  had  not  met  the  approval  of  government,  and  di- 
recting him  immediately  to  recommence  hostilities.  This  he 
announced  to  Santa  Anna,  requesting  at  the  same  time  the 
release  of  some  prisoners  detained  at  San  Luis  The  Mexican 
commander  answered  in  a  courteous  manner,  acknowledging 
the  end  of  the  truce,  and  liberated  the  prisoners,  paying  the 
expenses  of  their  journey. 

On  the  15th  of  December,  Taylor  marched  to  meet  his  enemy. 
Information  had  been  received  that  General  Urrea,  with  a  large 
body  of  cavalry,  was  threatening  Victoria ;  and  that  Santa  Anna 
with  the  main  army  was  rapidly  approaching  Saltillo.  General 
Patterson  was  in  command  at  this  place ;  and  anxious  for  his 
safety,  the  commander  sent  General  Quitman  to  join  him  with 
a  reinforcement,  and  with  the  main  army  fell  back  to  Monterey. 
But  at  this  time  Wool  entered  Saltillo  with  fresh  troops,  enabling 
General  Taylor  again  to  advance  toward  Victoria,  which  he 
reached  on  the  30th.  At  this  place  he  received  a  letter  from 
General  Scott,  requesting  nearly  all  his  regular  troops  for  the 
campaign  on  the  gulf  coast,  thus  again  forcing  him  to  retire  to 
Monterey.  Here  he  remained  until  February,  when  the  arrival 
of  volunteers,  swelling  his  force  to  five  thousand  men,  enabled 
him  again  to  press  forward. 

On  the  2d  of  this  month.  General  Santa  Anna  left  San  Luis 
Potosi,  at  the  head  of  twenty-three  thousand  men,  and  after  a 
march  in  which  his  troops  sustained  difficulties  of  the  most  appal- 
ling nature,  he  approached  General  Taylor's  position  [February 
20th]  at  Agua  Nueva.  On  the  same  day  the  latter  brolce  up 
his  camp,  and  retired  to  a  strong  mountain  pass,  called  Angostura, 
three  miles  from  the  hacienda  of  Buena  Vista.  While  remov- 
ing some  stores  a  small  party  of  Americans  was  defeated  by  the 
Mexicans ;  and  at  noon  on  the  22d,  General  Taylor  was  sum- 
moned to  surrender.  We  give  his  own  account  of  the  subse- 
quent operations : 

"  Our  troops  were  in  position,  occupying  a  line  of  remarkable 
strength.  The  road  at  its  point  becomes  a  narrow  defile,  the 
valley  on  its  right  being  rendered  quite  impracticable  fiar  artillery 


iteir 


mi 


;''1:  •   i 


596 


AMERICAN    LINE    OF    BATTLE. 


by  a  system  of  deep  and  impassable  gulleys,  while  on  the  left  a 
succession  of  rugged  ridges  and  precipitous  ravines  extend  far 
back  toward  the  mountain  which  bounds  the  valley.  The 
features  of  the  ground  were  yuch  as  nearly  to  paralyze  the 
artillery  and  cavalry  of  the  enemy,  while  his  infantry  could  not 
derive  all  the  advantage  of  its  numerical  superiority.  In  this 
position  we  prepared  to  receive  him.  Captain  Washington's 
battery  (4th  artillery)  was  posted  to  command  the  road,  while 
the  1st  and  2d  Illinois  regiments^  under  Colonels  Hardin  and 
Bissell,  each  eight  companies,  (to  the  latter  of  which  was  attached 
Captain  Conner's  company  of  Texas  •  volunteers  J  and  the  2d 
Kentucky,  unuer  Colonel  McKee,  occupied  the  crests  of  the 
ridges  on  the  left  and  in  rear.  The  Arkansas  and  Kentucky 
regiments  of  cavalry,  commanded  by  Colonels  Yell  and  H. 
Marshall,  occupied  the  extreme  left  near  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tain, while  the  Indiana  brigade,  under  Brigadier-General  Lane, 
(composed  of  the  2d  and  3d  regiments,  under  Colonels  Bowles 
and  Lane,)  the  Mississippi  riflemen,  under  Colonel  Davis,  the 
squadrons  of  the  1st  and  2d  dragoons,  under  Captain  Steen  and 
Lieutenant-Colonel  May,  and  the  light  batteries  of  Captains 
Sherman  and  Bragg,  3d  artillery,  were  held  in  reserve. 

"  At  eleven  o'clock  I  received  from  General  Santa  Anna  a 
summons  to  surrender  at  discretion,  which,  with  a  copy  of  my 
reply,  I  huve  already  transmitted.  The  enemy  still  forbore  his 
attack,  evidently  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  his  rear  columns, 
which  could  be  distinctly  seen  by  our  look-outs  as  they  ap- 
proached the  field.  A  demonstration  made  on  his  left  caused 
me  to  detach  the  2d  Kentucky  regiment  and  a  section  of  artil- 
lery  to  our  right,  in  which  position  they  bivouacked  for  the 
night.  In  the  mean  time  the  Mexican  light  troops  had  engaged 
ours  on  the  extreme  left  (composed  of  parts  of  the  Kentucky 
ana  Arkansas  cavalry,  dismounted,  and  a  rifle  battalion  from  the 
Indiana  brigade,  under  Major  Qorman,  the  whole  commanded 
by  Colonel  Marshall,)  and  kept  up  a  sharp  fire,  climbin^^  tlvj 
mountain  side,  and  apparently  endeavouring  to  gain  our  flank. 
Three  pieces  of  Captain  Washington's  battery  had  been  de- 
Inched  to  the  left,  and  were  supported  by  the  2d  liidiana  regi- 
rfi»nt-    An  occasional  $hell  was  thrown  b^  the  enemy  into  this 


BATTLE    OF    BUENA    VISTA. 


597 


part  of  our  line,  but  without  effect.  The  skirmishing  of  the 
light  troops  was  kept  up  with  trifling  loiss  on  our  part  until  daik, 
when  I  became  convinced  that  no  seriouM  attack  would  be  mado 
before  the  morning,  and  returned,  with  the  Mississippi  regi- 
ment and  squadron  of  2d  dragoons,  to  Saltillo.  The  troops 
bivouacked  without  fires,  and  laid  upon  their  arms.  A  body  of 
cavalry,  some  fifteen  hundred  strong,  hud  been  visible  all  day 
in  rear  of  the  town,  having  entered  the  valley  through  a  narrow 
pass  east  of  the  city.  This  cavalry,  commanded  by  General 
Minon,  had  evidently  been  thrown  in  our  rear  to  break  up  and 
harass  our  retreat,  and  perhaps  make  Home  attempt  against  the 
town  if  practicable.  The  city  was  occupied  by  four  excellent 
companies  of  Illinois  volunteers,  under  Major  Warren  of  the  1st 
regiment.  A  field-work,  which  commanded  most  of  the  ap- 
proaches, was  garrisoned  by  Captain  Webster's  company,  1st 
artillery,  and  armed  with  two  twenty-four-pound  howitzers, 
while  the  train  and  head-quarter  camp  wag  guarded  by  two 
companies  of  Mississippi  riflemen,  under  Captain  Rogers,  and  a 
field-piece  commanded  by  Captain  Shover,  3d  artillery.  Having 
made  these  dispositions  for  the  protection  of  the  rear,  I  proceeded 
on  the  morning  of  the  23d  to  Buena  Vista,  ordering  forward  all 
the  other  available  troops.  The  action  had  commenced  before 
my  arrival  on  the  field. 

"  During  the  evening  and  night  of  the  22d,  the  enemy  had 
thrown  a  body  of  light  troops  on  the  mountain  side,  with  the 
purpose  of  outflanking  our  left;  and  it  vv  h  here  that  the  action 
of  the  23d  commenced  at  an  early  hour.  Our  riflemen,  under 
Colonel  Marshall,  who  had  been  reinforced  by  three  companies 
under  Major  Trail,  2d  Illinois  volunteers,  maintained  their 
ground  handsomely  against  a  greatly  superior  force,  holding 
themselves  under  cover,  and  using  their  weapons  with  deadly 
effect.  About  eight  o'clock  a  strong  demonstration  was  made 
against  the  centre  of  our  position,  a  heavy  column  moving  along 
the  road.  This  force  was  soon  dispersed  by  a  few  rapid  and 
well-directed  shots  from  Captain  Washington's  battery.  In  the 
mean  time  the  enemy  was  concentrating  a  large  force  of  infantry 
and  cavalry  under  cover  of  the  ridgee,  with  the  obvious  intention 
of  forcing  our  lefl,  which  was  posted  on  an  extensive  plateau. 


I  'If 

f 


\    h 


598 


BATTLE    OF    BUENA    VISTA. 


The  2d  Indiana,  and  2d  Illinois  regiments  formed  this  part  of 
our  line,  the  former  covering  three  pieces  of  light  artillery,  under 
the  orders  of  Captain  O'Brien — Brigadier-General  Lane  being  in 
the  immediate  command.  In  order  to  bring  his  men  within 
effective  range,  General  Lane  ordered  the  artillery  and  2d  Indi- 
ana regiment  forward.  The  artillery  advanced  within  mnsket 
range  of  a  heavy  body  of  Mexican  infantry,  and  was  served 
against  it  with  great  effect,  but  without  being  able  to  check  its 
advance.  The  infantry  ordered  to  its  support  had  fallen  back 
in  disorder,  being  exposed,  as  well  as  the  battery,  not  only  to  a 
severe  fire  of  small  arms  from  the  front,  but  also  to  a  murderous 
cross-fire  of  grape  and  canister  from  a  Mexican  battery  on  the 
left.  Captain  O'Brien  found  it  impossible  to  retain  his  position 
without  support,  but  was  only  able  to  withdraw  two  of  his 
pieces,  all  the  horses  and  cannoneers  of  the  third  piece  being 
killed  or  disabled.  The  2d  Indiana  regiment,  which  had  fallen 
back  as  stated,  could  not  be  rallied,  and  took  no  further  part  in 
the  action,  except  a  handful  of  men,  who,  under  its  gallant  colo- 
nel, Bowles,  joined  the  Mississippi  regiment,  and  did  good  ser- 
vice, and  those  fugitives,  who,  at  a  later  period  in  the  day, 
assisted  in  defending  the  train  and  depot  at  Buena  Vista.  This 
portion  of  our  line  having  given  way,  and  the  enemy  appearing 
in  overwhelming  force  against  our  left  flank,  the  light  troops 
which  had  rendered  such  good  service  on  the  mountain  were 
compelled  to  withdraw,  which  they  did,  for  the  most  part,  in 
good  order.  Many,  however,  were  not  rallied  until  they 
reached  the  depot  at  Buena  Vista,  to  the  defense  of  which  they 
afterwards  contributed. 

"Colonel  Bissell's  regiment,  (2d  Illinois,)  which  had  been 
joined  by  a  section  of  Captain  Sherman's  battery,  had  become 
completely  outflanked,  and  was  compelled  to  fall  back,  being 
entirely  unsupported.  The  enemy  was  now  pouring  masses  of 
infantry  and  cavalry  along  the  base  of  the  mountain  on  our  left, 
and  was  gaining  our  rear  in  great  force.  At  this  moment  I 
arrived  upon  the  field.  The  Mississippi  regiment  had  been 
directed  to  the  left  before  reaching  the  position,  and  immediately 
came  into  action  against  the  Mexican  infantry  which  had  turned 
our  flank.    The  2d  Kentucky  regiment,  and  a  section  of  artil- 


-i 


BATTLE    OF    BUENA    VISTA. 


599 


i  this  part  of 
rtillery,  under 
Lane  being  in 
s  men  within 
T  and  2d  Indi- 
kvithin  mnslvet 
d  was  served 
le  to  check  its 
A  fallen  back 
,  not  only  to  a 
o  a  murderous 
battery  on  the 
in  his  position 
iw  two  of  his 
d  piece  being 
lich  had  fallen 
urther  part  in 
ts  gallant  colo- 

did  good  ser- 
d  in  the  day, 
a  Vista.  This 
my  appearing 
le  light  troops 
nountain  were 

most  part,  in 
ed  until  they 
of  which  they 

ich  had  been 
had  become 
1  back,  being 
inff  masses  of 
in  on  our  left, 
lis  moment  I 
lent  had  been 
d  immediately 
Lch  had  turned 
ction  of  artil- 


;       1! 


Battle  ofBuena  Viita. 


lery  under  Capt-iin  Bragg,  had  previously  been  ordered  from 
the  right  to  reinforce  our  left,  and  arrived  at  a  most  opportune 
moment.  That  regiment,  and  a  portion  of  the  1st  Illinois,  under 
Colonel  Hardin,  gallantly  drove  the  enemy,  and  recovered  a 
portion  of  the  ground  we  had  lost.  The  l)atteries  of  Captains 
Sherman  and  Bragg  were  in  position  on  the  plateau,  and  did 
much  execution,  not  only  in  front,  but  particularly  upon  the 
masses  which  had  gained  our  rear.  Discovering  that  the  enemy 
was  heavier  pressing  upon  the  Mississippi  regiment,  the  3d  Indi- 
ana regiment,  under  Colonel  Lane,  was  despatched  to  strengthen 
that  part  of  our  line,  which  formed  a  crotchet  perpendicular  to 
the  first  line  of  battle.  At  the  same  time  Lieutenant  Kilbum, 
with  a  piece  of  Captain  Bragg' s  battery,  was  directed  to  support 
the  infantry  there  engaged.  The  action  was,  for  a  long  time, 
warmly  sustained  at  that  point — ^the  enemy  making  several 
efforts,  both  with  infantry  and  cavalry,  against  our  line,  and 
being  always  repulsed  with  heavy  loss.  I  had  placed  all  the 
regular  cavalry,  and  Captain  Pike's  squadron  of  Arkansas  horse, 
under  the  orders  of  Brevet  Lieutenant-Colonel  May,  with  direc- 
tions to  hold  in  check  the  enemy's  column,  still  advancing  to  the 
rear  along  the  base  of  the  mountain,  which  was  done  in  con- 
junction with  the  Kentucky  and  Arkansas  cavalry  under  Colonels 
Marshall  and  Yell. 


''f  'H 


;l   ii' 


»'■  '  i: 


i- :  !' 


i 


•■nM- 


600 


BATTLE    OP    BUENA    VISTA- 


"  In  the  mean  time  our  left,  which  was  still  strongly  threatened 
by  a  superior  force,  was  farther  strengthened  by  the  detachment 
of  Captain  Bragg's,  and  a  portion  of  Captain  Sherman's  batteries 
to  that  quarter.  The  concentration  of  artillery  fire  upon  the 
maisses  of  the  enemy  along  the  base  of  the  mountain,  and  the 
determined  resistance  offered  by  the  two  regiments  opposed  to 
them,  had  created  confusion  in  their  ranks,  and  some  of  the 
corps  attempted  to  effect  a  retreat  upon  their  main  line  of  battle. 
The  squadron  of  the  1st  dragoons,  under  Lieutenant  Riicker, 
was  now  ordered  up  the  deep  ravine  which  these  retreating 
corps  were  endeavouring  to  cross,  in  order  to  charge  and  disperse 
them.  The  squadron  proceeded  to  the  point  indicated,  but 
could  not  accomplish  the  object,  being  exposed  to  a  heavy  fire 
from  a  battery  established  to  cover  the*  retreat  of  those  corps. 
While  the  squadron  was  detached  on  this  service,  a  large  body 
of  the  enemy  was  observed  to  concentrate  on  our  extreme  left, 
apparently  with  a  view  of  making  a  descent  upon  the  hacienda 
of  Buena  Vista,  where  pur  train  and  baggage  were  deposited. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  May  was  ordered  to  the  support  of  that 
point,  with  two  pieces  of  Captain  Sherman's  battery  under  Lieu- 
tenant Reynolds.  In  the  mean  time,  the  scattered  forces  near 
the  hacienda,  composed  in  part  of  Majors  Trail  and  Gorman's 
commands,  had  been,  to  some  extent,  organized  under  the  advice 
of  Major  Munroe,  chief  of  artillery,  with  the  assistance  of  Major 
Morrison,  volunteer  staff,  and  were  posted  to  defend  the  position. 
Before  our  cavalry  had  reached  the  hacienda,  that  of  the  enemy 
had  made  its  attack ;  having  been  handsomely  met  by  the  Ken- 
tucky and  Arkansas  cavalry  under  Colonels  Marshall  and  Yell. 
The  Mexican  column  immediately  divided,  one  portion  sweeping 
by  the  depot,  where  it  received  a  destructive  fire  from  the  force 
which  had  collected  there,  and  then  gaining  the  mountain  op 
posite,  under  a  fire  from  Lieutenant  Reynold's  section,  the  re- 
maining portion  regaining  the  base  of  the  mountain  on  our  left. 
In  the  charge  at  Buena  Vista,  Colonel  Yell  fell  gallantly  at  the 
head  of  his  regiment;  wc  also  lost  Adjutant  Vaughan,  of  the 
Kentucky  cavalry — a  young  officer  of  much  promise.  Lieu* 
tenant-Colonel  May,  who  hhd  been  rejoined  by  the  squadron  of 
the  1  st  dragoons,  and  by  portions  of  the  Arkansas  and  Indiana 


BATTLE 


BUENA    VISTA. 


Geiiflral  Taylor  at  Buena  Viiia. 

troops,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Roane  and  Major  Gorman, 
now  approached  the  base  of  the  mountain,  holding  in  check 
the  right  flank  of  the  enemy,  upon  whose  masses,  crowded  in 
the  narrow  gorges  and  ravines,  our  artillery  was  doing  fearful 
execution. 

"  The  position  of  that  portion  of  the  Mexican  army  which  had 
gained  our  rear  was  now  very  critical,  and  it  seemed  doubtful 
whether  it  could  regain  the  main  body.  At  this  moment  I  re- 
ceived from  General  Santa  Anna  a  message  by  a  staff  officer, 
desiring  to  know  what  I  wanted  ?  I  immediately  despatched 
Brigadier-General  Wool  to  the  Mexican  general-in-chief,  and 
sent  orders  to  cease  firing.  Upon  reaching  the  Mexican  lines 
General  Wool  could  not  cause  the  enemy  to  cease  their  fire,  and 
accordingly  returned  without  having  an  interview.  The  ex- 
treme right  of  the  enemy  continued  its  retreat  along  the  base  of 
the  mountain,  and  finally,  in  spite  of  all  our  efforts,  effected  a 
junction  with  the  remainder  of  the  army. 

"  During  the  day,  the  cavalry  of  General  Minon  had  ascended 
the  elevated  plain  above  Saltillo,  and  occupied  the  road  from  the 
5ity  to  the  field  of  battle,  where  they  intercepted  several  of  our 
.men.  Approaching  the  town,  they  were  fired  upon  by  Captain 
Webster  from  the  redoubt  occupied  by  his  company,  and  then 
moved  off  towards  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley,  and  obliquely 

3  E  76 


'  <;  1,    . 


602 


BATTLE    OF    BUENA     VISTA. 


towards  Buena  Vista.  At  this  time,  Captain  Shover  moved 
rapidly  forward  with  his  piece,  supported  by  a  miscellaneous 
command  of  mounted  volunteers,  and  fired  several  shots  at  the 
cavalry  with  great  effect.  They  were  driven  into  the  ravines 
which  lead  to  the  lower  valley,  closely  pursued  by  Captain 
Shover,  who  was  farther  supported  by  a  piece  of  Captain  Web- 
ster's battery,  under  Lieutenant  Donaldson,  which  had  advanced 
from  the  redoubt,  supported  by  Captain  Wheeler's  company  of 
Illinois  volunteers.  The  enemy  made  one  or  two  efforts  to 
charge  the  artillery,  but  was  finally  driven  back  in  a  confused 
mass,  and  did  not  again  appear  upon  the  plain. 

"  In  the  mean  time,  the  firing  had  partially  ceased  upon  the 
principal  field.  The  enemy  seemed  to  confine  his  efforts  to  the 
protection  of  his  artillery,  and  I  had  left  the  plateau  for  a 
moment,  when  I  was  recalled  thither  by  a  very  heavy  musketry 
fire.  On  regaining  that  position,  I  discovered  that  our  infantry 
(Illinois  and  2d  Kentucky)  had  engaged  a  greatly  superior  force 
of  the  enemy — evidently  his  reserve — and  that  they  had  been 
overwhelmed  by  numbers.  The  moment  was  most  critical. 
Captain  O'Brien,  with  two  pieces,  had  sustained  this  heavy 
charge  to  the  last,  and  was  finally  obliged  to  leave  his  guns  on 
the  field — his  infantry  support  being  entirely  routed.  Captain 
Bragg,  who  had  just  arrived  from  the  left,  was  ordered  at  once 
into  battery.  Without  any  infantry  to  support  him,  and  at  the 
imminent  risk  of  losing  his  guns,  this  officer  came  rapidly  into 
action,  the  Mexican  line  being  but  a  few  yards  from  the  muzzle 
of  his  pieces.  The  first  discharge  of  canister  caused  the  enemy 
to  hesitate,  the  second  and  third  drove  him  back  in  disorder,  and 
saved  the  day.  The  2d  Kentucky  regiment,  which  had  advanced 
beyond  supporting  distance  in  this  affair,  was  driven  back  and 
closely  pressed  by  the  enemy's  cavalry.  Taking  a  ravine  which 
led  in  the  direction  of  Captain  Washington's  battery,  their  pur- 
suers became  exposed  to  his  fire,  which  soon  checked  and  drove 
them  back  with  loss.  In  the  mean  time,  the  rest  of  our  artillery 
had  taken  position  on  the  plateau,  covered  by  the  Mississippi 
and  3d  Indiana  regiments,  the  former  of  which  had  reached 
the  ground  in  time  to  pour  a  fire  into  the  right  flank  of  the 
enemy,  and  thus  contribute  to  his  repulse.    In  this  last  conflict 


BATTLE    OF    BUENA    VISTA. 


603 


we  had  the  misfortune  to  sustain  a  very  heavy  loss,  Colonel 
Hardin,  Ist  Illinois,  and  Cidonel  McKee  and  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Clay,  2d  Kentucky  regiment,  fell  at  this  time  while  gallantly 
leading  their  commands. 

"  No  farther  attempt  v  as  made  by  the  enemy  to  force  our 
position,  and  the  approach  of  night  gave  an  opportunity  to  pay 
proper  attention  to  the  wounded,  and  also  to  refresh  the  soldiers, 
who  had  been  exhausted  by  incessant  watchfulness  and  combat. 
Though  the  night  was  severely  cold,  the  troops  were  compelled 
for  the  most  to  bivouac  without  fires,  expecting  that  morning 
would  renew  the  conflict.  During  the  night  the  wounded  were 
removed  to  Saltillo,  and  every  preparation  made  to  receive  the 
enemy,  should  he  again  attaclc  our  position.  Seven  fresh  com- 
panies were  drawn  from  the  town,  and  Brigadier-General  Mar- 
shall, with  a  reinforcement  of  Kentucky  cavalry  and  four  heavy 
guns,  under  Captain  Prentiss,  1st  artillery,  was  near  at  hand, 
when  it  was  discovend  that  the  enemy  had  abandoned  his 
position  during  the  night.  Our  scouts  soon  ascertained  that  he 
had  fallen  back  upon  Agua  Nueva.  The  great  disparity  of 
numbers,  and  the  exhaustion  of  our  troops,  rendered  it  inexpe- 
dient and  hazardous  to  attempt  pursuit.  A  staff  officer  was 
despatched  to  General  Santa  Anna  to  negotiate  an  exchange  of 
prisoners,  which  was  satisfactorily  completed  on  the  following 
day.  Our  own  dead  were  collected  and  buried,  and  the  Mexi- 
can wounded,  of  which  a  large  number  had  been  left  upon  the 
field,  were  removed  to  Saltillo,  and  rendered  as  comfortable  as 
circumstances  would  permit. 

"  On  the  evening  of  the  26th,  a  close  reconnoissance  was  made 
of  the  enemy's  position,  which  was  found  to  be  occupied  only  by 
a  small  body  of  cavalry,  the  infantry  and  artillery  having  re- 
treated in  the  direction  of  San  Luis  Potosi.  On  the  27th,  our 
iroops  resumed  their  former  camp  at  Agua  Nueva,  the  enemy's 
rear-guard  evacuating  the  place  as  we  approached,  leaving  a 
considerable  number  of  wounded.  It  was  my  purpose  to  beat 
up  his  quarters  at  Encarnacion  early  the  next  morning,  but 
upon  examination,  the  weak  condition  of  the  cavalry  horses 
rendered  it  unadvisable  to  attempt  so  long  a  march  without 

wi\ter.     A  command  was  finally  despatched  to  Encarnacion,  on 
126 


ti 


: 


604 


BATTLE    OF    EUENA    VISTA. 


,r 


he 


1 1 


the  1st  of  March,  under  Colonel  Belknap.  Some  two  hundred 
wounded,  and  about  sixty  Mexican  soldiers  were  found  there, 
the  army  having  passed  on  in  the  direction  of  Matehuala,  with 
greatly  reduced  numbers,  and  suffering  much  from  hunger. 
The  dead  and  dying  were  strewed  upon  the  road  and  crowded 
the  buildings  of  the  hacienda. 

The  American  force  engaged  in  the  action  of  Buena  Vista  is 
shown,  by  the  accompanying  field  report,  to  have  been  three 
hundred  and  forty-four  officers,  and  four  thousand  four  hundred 
and  twenty-five  men,  exclusive  of  the  small  command  left  in  and 
near  Saltillo.  Of  this  number,  two  squadrons  of  cavalry  and 
three  batteries  of  light  artillery,  making  not  more  than  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty-three  men,  composed  the  only  force  of  regular 
troops.  The  strength  of  the  Mexican  army  is  stated  by  General 
Santa  Anna,  in  his  summons,  to  be  twenty  thousand ;  and  that 
estimate  is  confirmed  by  all  the  information  since  obtained.  Our 
loss  is  two  hundred  and  sixty-seven  killed,  four  hundred  and 
fifty-six  wounded,  and  twenty-three  missing.  Of  the  numerous 
wounded,  many  did  not  require  removal  to  the  hospital,  and  it 
is  hoped  that  a  comparatively  small  number  will  be  permanently 
disabled.  The  Mexican  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  may  be 
fairly  estimated  at  fifteen  hundred,  and  will  probably  reach  two 
thousand.  At  least  five  hundred  of  their  killed  were  left  upon 
the  field  of  battle.  We  have  no  means  of  ascertaining  the  num- 
ber of  deserters  and  dispersed  men  from  their  ranks,  but  it  is 
known  to  be  very  great. 

"Our  loss  has  been  especially  severe  in  officers,  twenty-eight 
tiaving  been  killed  upon  the  field.  We  have  to  lament  the 
death  of  Captain  George  Lincoln,  assistant  adjutant-general, 
serving  in  the  staff  of  General  Wool — a  young  officer  of  high 
bearing  and  approved  gallantry,  who  fell  early  in  the  action.  No 
loss  falls  more  heavily  upon  the  army  in  the  field  than  that  of 
Colonels  Hardin  and  McKee,  and  Lieutenants-Colonel  Clay. 
Possessing,  in  a  remarkable  degree,  the  confidence  of  their  com- 
mands, and  the  last  two  having  enjoyed  the  advantage  of  a  mili- 
tary education,  I  had  looked  particularly  to  them  for  support  in 
case  we  met  the  enemy.  I  need  not  say  that  their  zeal  in 
engaging  the  enemy,  and  the  cool  and  steadfast  couiage  with 


1 


CAPTAIN    OBRIEN. 


606 


which  they  maintained  their  positions  during  the  day,  fully 
realized  my  hopes,  and  caused  me  to  feel  yet  more  sensibly  their 
untimely  loss." 

The  artillery  was  the  arm  which  won  the  battle  of  Buena 
Vista ;  and  none  distinguished  themselves  more  in  its  manage- 
ment than  Captains  O'Brien  and  Bragg.  They  sustained, 
singly,  the  charge  of  the  whole  body  of  the  enemy's  lancers,  a  force 
numbering  some  thousands  more  than  their  own ;  and  although 
each  moment  expecting  that  the  crushing  avalanche  would 
sweep  over  guns  and  horses,  yet  they  remained  firm  at  their  post, 
uiitil  victory  was  certain.  The  situation  of  O'Brien  was  pecu- 
liarly trying.  A  tremendous  cross  fire  of  the  enemy  swept  across 
the  field,  whistling  and  rattling  on  the  stony  surface,  and  driving 
back  the  small  body  of  infantry  which  had  been  ordered  to  sup- 
port him.  At  that  moment  he  paused,  and  looking  behind,  the 
danger  of  his  situation  burst  upon  him.  Before  him  were  the 
heavy  columns  of  lancers,  their  trampling  horses  crowding  upon 
each  other,  and  the  long  rows  of  lances  glittering  and  dancing 
in  the  sunshine ;  in  the  rear  and  flanks  were  the  infantry,  whose 
artillery  had  already  driven  away  his  only  support.  If  he  yielded, 
the  day  was  lost;  if  he  stood,  he  might  be  crushed  to  pieces.  Two 
horses  had  fallen  under  him,  and  he  had  received  a  wound  in 
the  leg.  Most  of  his  cannoneers  were  dead  or  wounded,  and 
some  of  the  guns  perfectly  idle.  -He  resolved  to  stand.  Riding 
round  and  round  his  guns,  he  cheered  his  men  for  the  terrible 
encounter,  and  exhorted  them  not  to  fire  until  the  cavalry  were 
within  a  few  yards  of  the  muzzles.  On  they  came,  shaking  the 
earth  under  the  gallop  of  their  horses.  Nearer  and  nearer  they 
drew,  until  the  raised  hoof  almost  struck  the  cannon,  when  a 
roar  like  thunder  burst  forth,  and  scores  of  steeds  and  riders 
reeled  back  upon  their  startled  companions.  Then  for  a  moment 
all  was  confusion,  and  the  huge  mass  swayed  to  and  fro  in  fear- 
ful uncertainty.  But  they  again  formed,  and  prepared  for  a  de- 
cisive str;  ggle.  This  was  a  fearful  moment;  hundreds  of 
anxious  eyes  were  bent  intensely  on  the  few  devoted  men,  who 
were  thus  battling  in  the  jaws  of  death.  At  this  moment,  the 
steadiness  of  the  young  cannoneers  forsook  them.  They  were 
unable  to  maintain  their  stations,  and  their  captain  grew  pale 


w 

w 


.111 


III 


m 


606 


CAPTAIN    BRAGG. 


with  »!xcitenient,  as  he  felt  that  victory  was  wrenched  from  his 
grasp.  Slowl)'  and  sternly  he  left  his  guns,  and  retired  to  join  the 
other  artillery.  But  he  was  not  unrewarded ;  he  had  remained 
long  enough  to  enable  reinforcements  to  arrive ;  and  to  him,  as 
much  as  to  any  man  on  the  field,  was  the  final  victory  owing. 

Equally  perilous  was  the  service  of  Captain  Bragg.  All  day 
his  force  was  moving  over  the  field,  engaged  at  every  point 
where  it  could  be  of  any  avail.  When  we  remember  that  all 
his  movements  were  across  rocks  and  guUeys  where  it  was  almost 
impossible  to  travel,  we  will  have  a  better  idea  of  their  import- 
ance. Charge  after  charge  was  made  upon  him,  and  often  he 
was  forced  to  leave  his  heaviest  artillery  in  some  unprotected 
position,  in  order  to  arrive  at  a  threatened  position  in  time  to  be 
of  service.  He  thus  describes  his  last  encounter  with  the  ene- 
my :  "  Knowing  the  importance  of  my  presence,  I  left  some  of 
my  heaviest  carriages,  and  pushed  on  with  such  as  could  move 
most  rapidly.  Having  gained  a  point  from  which  my  guns 
could  be  used,  I  put  them  in  battery  and  loaded  with  canister. 
Now,  for  the  first  time,  I  felt  the  imminent  peril  in  which  we 
stood.  Our  infantry  was  routed,  our  advanced  artillery  captured, 
and  the  enemy  in  heavy  force  coming  upon  us  at  a  run.  Feel- 
ing that  the  day  depended  upon  the  successful  stand  of  our  artil- 
lery, I  appealed  to  the  commanding  general,  who  was  near,  for 
support.  None  was  to  be  had ;  and,  under  his  instructions  to 
maintain  our  position  at  every  hazard,  I  returned  to  my  battery, 
encouraged  my  men,  and  when  the  enemy  arrived  within  good 
range,  poured  forth  the  canister  as  rapidly  as  my  guns  could  be 
loaded.  At  the  first  discharge  I  observed  the  enemy  falter,  and 
in  a  short  time  he  was  in  full  retreat.  A  very  heavy  loss  must 
have  been  sustained  by  him,  however,  before  he  got  beyond  our 
range.  My  guns  were  now  advanced  several  hundred  yards, 
and  opened  on  a  position  held  by  the  enemy,  with  a  battery  of 
heavier  calibre  than  our  own — the  same  firom  which  our  left 
flank  had  been  driven  in  the  afternoon.  Under  the  support  of 
the  Mississippi  regiment,  I  continued  my  fire  until  convinced 
that  nothing  could  be  eflfected — the  enemy  holding  an  eminence 
from  which  we  could  not  dislodge  him  without  a  sacrifice  which 
might  compromise  the  success  of  the  day.  About  sunset  I  with- 


RETREAT    OF    SANTA    ANNA. 


607 


drew  my  battery  into  the  ravine  in  rear  of  our  line,  and  took  a 
position  for  the  night  from  which  I  could  readily  move  to  any 
assailable  point.  Here  I  remained,  officers  and  men  on  the  alert, 
and  horses  in  harness." 

Had  the  Mexicans  managed  their  artillery  with  the  same 
bravery  as  did  these  two  intrepid  officers,  the  American  army 
must  have  been  cut  to  pieces.  Captain  Bragg  discharged  two 
hundred  and  fifty  rounds  of  ammunition  from  each  of  his  guns ; 
and  during  the  whole  battle,  the  ground  seemed  to  reel  with  the 
incessant  peals  of  heavy  cannon.  As  the  batteries  poured  forth 
their  fiery  showers,  whole  companies  sunk  shrieking  to  the 
ground ;  and  in  the  morning,  the  masses  of  dead  and  dying, 
piled  upon  one  another,  told  a  fearful  narrative  of  the  artillery 
of  the  preceding  day. 

The  evening  of  the  23d  found  both  armies  in  the  same  rela- 
tive position,  and  on  the  same  ground  they  had  occupied  in  the 
morning.  During  the  night,  however,  Santa  Anna  withdrew 
his  shattered  forces  toward  Potosi.  The  Americans  expected 
an  attack  before  morning,  and  were  prepared  for  it ;  but,  under 
cover  of  the  darkness,  Santa  Anna  withdrew  his  starving  fol- 
lowers to  Agua  Nueva.  Soon  afterward  General  Taylor  fell 
back  toward  Monterey. 

On  the  2d  of  March  an  escort  of  two  hundred  men,  and  a 
train  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  wagons,  under  Major  Giddings, 
was  attacked  by  General  Urrea,  at  the  head  of  a  large  party  of 
lancers.  The  attack  was  so  sudden  that  the  train  and  escort 
were  divided  into  two  parties,  the  smaller  of  which  Urrea  sum- 
moned to  surrender.  A  desultory  conflict  ensued  in  which  the 
Americans  succeeded  in  reuniting,  and  repelling  their  oppo- 
nents with  the  loss  of  about  forty.  The  major  had  two  soldiers 
killed  and  fifteen  teamsters.  He  proceeded  without  further 
molestation  to  Seralvo,  where  Colonel  Curtis  arrived  in  a  few 
days  with  reinforcements,  and  assumed  command.  The  whole 
party  then  commenced  a  pursuit  of  Urrea,  which  was  continued 
until  the  16th,  when  it  met  General  Taylor  with  a  portion  of 
the  main  army,  also  in  pursuit.  The  whole  force  consisting  of 
May's  dragoons,  Bragg's  artillery,  and  Colonel  Curtis's  men,  led 
by  General  Taylor,  pushed  after  the  Mexicans  with  renewed 


608  tailor's  return  to  the  united  states. 

vigour ;  but,  notwithstanding  every  exertion,  Urrea  succeeded  in 
escaping  beyond  the  mountains. 

After  this  pursuit,  General  Taylor  retired  to  Walnut  Springs, 
where,  on  account  of  the  small  number  of  his  troops,  he  was 
obliged  to  remain  inactive  during  the  summer  and  fall  of  1847. 
In  December  he  visited  the  United  States,  intending  to  remain 
with  his  family  until  his  services  should  be  further  required  bjr 
government. 


Head  Muleteer  ud  8erv»Dt. 


V 


^\-'J:H'->.  \ 


1/ 


\V 


STATES. 

sa  succeeded  in 


kearny's  expedition. 


609 


/^-v^ 


m 


Brt(Bdi«r'Oeii«nl  Stephen  W.  Keanqr. 

CHAPTER   VI. 
<0((ttp«tioii  of  <!taIifottti«  anb  T^tfo  0itxit9, 

N  May,  1846,  President  Polk  was  authorized  bj 
Congress  to  accept  the  services  of  fifty  thousand 
volunteers,  to  continue  the  w^ar  vtrhich  had  com- 
menced on  the  Rio  Grande.  Of  this  number 
ten  companies  composed  a  force  destined  to  act 
against  Santa  Fe.  They  vrere  formed  of  five 
companies  United  States  dragoons,  tvt^o  of  foot, 
two  light  artillery,  and  one  volunteer  horse.  This  army  was 
placed  under  the  direction  of  Colonel  Stephen  W.  Kearny,  who, 
in  a  confidential  letter  from  Secretary  Marcy,  dated  June  3d, 
1.846,  received  in  substance  the  following  instructions :  To  or 

77 


I  is 


i 


6J0 


TAKING    OF    SANTA    FE. 


ganize  for  the  expedition  an  additional  force  of  one  thousand 
men,  in  order  to  proceed  from  Santa  Fe  against  Upper  Califor- 
nia; to  establish  a  government  there  after  taking  possession; 
to  receive  as  volunteers  a  number  of  Mormon  and  other  emi- 
grants, recently  settled  in  the  province;  to  co-operate  with 
the  naval  force  in  the  Pacific ;  to  open  trade  with  the  Indians ; 
and  to  respect  the  rights  of  the  Californians.  The  letter  con- 
concludes  as  follows :  "  I  am  directed  by  the  president  to  say 
that  the  rank  of  brevet  brigadier-general  will  be  conferred  on 
you  as  soon  as  you  commence  your  movement  towards  Califor- 
nia, and  sent  round  to  you  by  sea,  or  over  the  country,  or  to  the 
care  of  the  commandant  of  our  squadron  in  the  Pacific.  In  that 
way  cannon,  arms,  ammunition,  and  supplies  for  the  land  forces, 
will  be  sent  you." 

The  depot  of  Kearny's  force  was  Fort  Leavensworth.  On  the 
27th  of  June  his  advance  commenced  its  march ;  and  by  the 
1st  of  Aug  ist  more  than  sixteen  hundred  men  were  concentrated 
ui  Bent's  fort,  having  marched  a  distance  of  five  hundred  and 
sixty-four  miles.  The  march  was  resumed  on  the  3d,  and  after 
a  toilsome  journey  over  frightful  prairies,  they  arrived,  August 
12th,  at  the  mountains  near  the  Rio  Grande. 

Signs  of  hostility  now  began  to  appear ;  and  messages  arrived 
from  General  Armigo,  governor  of  Santa  Fe,  requesting  Kearny 
to  advance  no  further,  or  at  least  to  consent  to  negotiations  for 
peace.  The  tone  of  these  was  dignified  but  earnest.  The 
American  commander  replied  that  he  came  to  take  possession ; 
that  the  peaceable  inhabitants  should  be  well  treated,  but  that 
the  vengeance  of  both  army  and  government  would  be  poured 
upon  all  others.  On  the  march  the  colonel  received  a  despatch 
from  government  constituting  him  brigadier-general. 

On  the  18th  of  August  General  Kearny  took  possession  of 
Santa  Fe,  in  the  name  of  the  United  States.  The  oath  of  alle- 
giance was  administered  to  the  alcalde  and  inhabitants,  and  a 
military  territorial  government  established.  No  opposition  was 
experienced.  Governor  Armigo  and  his  army  having  fled  at  the 
approach  of  the  Americans.  General  Kearny  was  proclaimed 
governor,  erected  a  fort,  (called  Fort  Marcy,)  and  published  a 
proclamation  to  the  inhabitants.  ,     ;, 


DONIPHAN  8    EXPEDITION. 


611 


After  seeing  every  thing  in  a  state  of  tranquillity,  General 
Kearny  commenced  his  march,  September  26th,  for  tha  distant 
region  of  California. 

Before  the  general  had  accomplished  this  arduous  undertak- 
ing, Colonel  Doniphan,  with  his  citizen  volunteers,  commenced 
one  of  equal  magnitude,  and  proguimt  with  events  of  paramount 
importance.  When  Kearny  left  Santa  Fe  he  ordered  the  colo- 
nel to  proceed  as  soon  as  practicable  into  Chihuahua,  and  report 
to  General  Wool,  who  with  the  centre  division  had  been  intrusted 
with  the  conquering  of  that  province.  .      •.  ; 

.,  N  the  17th  of  December,  Doniphan,  with  nine 
hundred  and  twenty -four  men,  began  his  expedi 
tion.  On  the  24th  tliey  reached  the  Jornada  lake, 
into  which  runs  the  Jkazito  river,  more  than 
twenty  miles  from  the  Passo  del  Norte,  of  the  east- 
ern mountain  range.  Hero  they  wore  informed  that  the 
Mexicans,  to  the  number  of  one  thousand,  were  collected 
at  the  Pass,  ready  for  an  attack.  The  Americans  num- 
bered about  six  hundred,  the  remainder  being  sick.  On 
the  afternoon  of  the  following  day,  (Christmas,)  the  enemy  were 
seen  approaching,  and,  when  within  eight  hundred  yards,  ex- 
tended themselves  so  as  to  cover  the  American  flank.  An  officer 
approached,  carrying  a  black  flag,  and  after  proclaiming  no 
quarters,  rejoined  his  column,  which  immediately  charged  at  a 
rapid  gallop.  The  conflict  was  but  short — the  Mexicans  being 
defeated  with  the  loss  of  thirty  killed,  and  driven  into  the  moun- 
tains. Eight  were  captured,  six  of  whom  subsequently  died ; 
and  their  single  piece  of  cannon  wns  also  taken.  The  Ameri- 
cans had  seven  wounded.  On  the  27th  Doniphan  entered  the 
town  of  El  Passo,  without  resistance,  where  he  was  reinforced 
by  Major  Clark's  artillery. 

On  the  8th  of  February,  1847,  the  whole  command  (nine 
hundred  and  twenty-four  men)  left  the  Passo  del  Norte,  and 
marched  for  Chihuahua.  On  the  28th  they  fought  the  great 
battle  of  Sacramento.  This  action,  with  the  position  itself,  is 
thus  described  by  Colonel  Doniphan : 

"  The  Pass  of  the  Sacramento  is  formed  by  a  point  of  the 
mountains  on  our  right,  (their  left,)  extending  into  the  valley  oi 


li' 


!  I 


613 


BATTLE     OF    SACRAMENTO. 


t  ' 


\ 


¥,l 


plain,  so  as  to  narrow  the  valley  to  about  one  and  a  half  miles. 
On  our  left  was  a  deep  dry  sandy  channel  of  a  creek,  and  be- 
tween these  points  the  plain  rises  to  sixty  feet  abruptly.  This 
rise  is  in  the  form  of  a  crescent,  the  convex  part  being  to  the 
north  of  our  forces.  On  the  right  from  the  point  of  mountains, 
a  narrow  part  of  the  plain  extends  north  one  and  a  half  miles 
further  than  on  the  left.  The  main  road  passes  down  the  centre 
of  the  valley,  and  across  the  crescent  near  the  left  or  dry  branch. 
The  Sacramento  rises  in  the  mountains  on  the  right,  and  the 
road  falls  on  to  it  about  one  mile  below  the  battle  field  or  in- 
trenchment  of  the  enemy.  We  ascertained  that  the  enemy  had 
one  battery  of  four  guns,  two  nine  and  six-pounders  on  the 
point  of  the  mountain,  (their  left,)  at  a  good  elevation  to  sweep 
the  plain ;  and  at  a  point  where  the  mountain  extended  furthest 
into  the  plain.  On  our  left  (their  right)  they  had  another  bat- 
tery on  an  elevation  commanding  the  road,  and  three  intrench- 
ments  of  two  six-pounders,  and  on  the  brow  of  the  crescent  near 
the  centre,  another  of  two  six,  and  two  four  and  six  culverins, 
or  rampart  pieces  mounted  on  carriages ;  and  on  the  crest  of  the 
hill,  or  ascent  between  the  batteries,  and  the  right  and  left,  they 
had  twenty-seven  redoubts  dug  and  thrown  up,  extending  at 
short  intervals  across  the  whole  ground.  In  these  their  infantry 
were  placed  and  were  entirely  protected.  Their  cavalry  was 
drawn  up  in  front  of  the  redoubts,  four  deep,  and  in  rear  of  the 
redoubts,  two  deep,  so  as  to  mask  them  as  far  as  practicable.  *  * 
"We  now  commenced  the  action  by  a  brisk  fire  from  our 
battery,  and  the  enemy  unmasked  and  commenced  also.  Our 
fire  proved  effective  at  this  distance,  killing  fifteen  men,  wound- 
ing and  disabling  one  of  the  enemy's  guns.  We  had  two  men 
slightly  wounded,  and  several  horses  and  mules  killed.  The 
enemy  then  slowly  retreated  behind  their  works  in  some  confu- 
sion, and  we  resumed  our  march  in  our  former  order,  still  diverg- 
ing more  to  the  right  to  avoid  their  battery  on  our  left,  and  their 
strongest  redoubts  which  were  ori  the  left  near  where  the  road 
passes  *  *  *  The  howitzers  charged  at  speed,  and  were 
gallantly  sustained  by  Captain  Reid ;  but  by  some  misunder- 
standing my  order  was  not  given  to  the  other  two  companies, 
Parsons's  and  Hudson's.     Captain  Hudson,  anticipating  my 


BATTLE    OF    SACRAMENTO. 


618 


order,  charged  in  time  to  give  ample  support  to  the  howitzers. 
Captain  Parsons  at  the  same  moment  came  to  me,  and  asked 
permission  for  his  company  to  charge  '^e  redoubts  immediate!) 
to  the  left  of  Captain  Wrightman,  which  he  did  very  gallantly. 
"  The  remainder  of  the  two  battalions  of  the  first  regiment  were 
dismounted  during  the  cavalry  charge,  and  following  rapidly  on 
foot,  and  Major  Clark  advancing  as  rapidly  as  practicable,  with 
the  remainder  of  the  battery,  we  charged  their  redoubts  from 
right  to  left,  with  a  brisk  and  deadly  fire  of  riflemen,  while  Mar 
jor  Clark  opened  a  rapid  and  well-directed  fire  on  a  column  of 
cavalry,  attempting  to  pass  to  our  left  so  as  to  attack  the  wagons 
and  our  rear.  The  fire  was  so  well  directed  as  to  force  them  to 
fall  back,  and  our  riflemen  with  their  cavalry  and  howitzers, 
cleared  it  after  an  obstinate  resistance.  Our  forces  advanced  to 
the  very  brink  of  their  redoubts,  and  attacked  them  with  their 
sabres.  When  the  redoubts  were  cleared,  and  the  batteries  in 
the  centre  and  our  left  were  silenced,  the  main  battery  on  our 
right  still  continued  to  pour  in  a  constant  and  heavy  fire,  as  it 
had  done  during  the  heat  of  the  engagement ;  but  as  the  whole 
fate  of  the  battle  depended  upon  carrying  the  redoubts  and  centre 
battery,  this  one  on  the  right  remained  unattacked,  and  the  enemy 
had  rallied  there  five  hundred  strong. 

*AJOR  CLARK  was  directed  to  com- 
mence a  heavy  fire  upon  it,  while 
Lieutenant-Colonels     Mitchell     and 
Jackson,  commanding  the  first  bat- 
talion, were  ordered  to  remount  and 
charge  the  battery  on  the  left,  while 
Major  Gilpin  was  directed  to  pass  the 
second  battalion  on  foot,  up  the  rough 
ascent  of  the  mountain  on  the  opposite 
side.     The  fire  of  our  battery  was  so  effective  as  to  completely 
silence  theirs,  and  the  rapid  advance  of  our  column  put  them  to 
flight  over  the  mountains  in  great  confusion. 

"  Thus  ended  the  battle  of  Sacramento.  The  force  of  the  enemy 
was  twelve  hundred  cavalry  from  Durango  and  Chihuahua,  three 
hundred  artillerists,  and  fourteen  hundred  and  twenty  rancheros, 
badly  armed  with  lassoes,  lances,  and  machetes,  or  corn  knives,  ten 

8F 


J 


mil 


614 


RETURN    OF    DONIPHAN    8  COMMAND. 


pieces  of  artillery,  two  nine,  two  eight,  four  six,  and  two  four- 
pounders,  and  six  culverins,  or  rampart  pieces.  *  *  *  *  Our  force 
was  nine  hundred  and  twenty-four  effective  men ;  at  least  one  hun- 
dred of  whom  were  engaged  in  holding  horses  and  driving  teams. 
The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  his  entire  artillery,  ten  wagons,  masses 
of  beans  and  pinola,  and  other  Mexican  provisions,  about  three 
hundred  killed,  about  the  same  number  wounded,  many  of  whom 
have  since  died,  and  forty  prisoners.  The  field  was  literally 
covered  with  the  dead  and  wounded,  from  our  artillery  and  the 
unerring  fire  of  our  riflemen.  Night  put  a  stop  to  the  carnage, 
the  battle  having  commenced  about  three  o'clock.  Our  loss  was 
one  killed,  one  mortally  wounded,  and  seven  so  wounded  as  to 
recover  without  any  loss  of  limbs." 

On  the  1st  of  March  Colonel  Doniphan  took  possession  of 
Chihuahua,  where  he  remained  three  weeks.  At  the  end  of  this 
time,  having  received  orders  from  General  Wool,  he  marched, 
April  26th,  for  Saltillo.  On  the  road.  Captain  Reid  defeated 
about  fifty  Indians  near  El  Passo,  May  13th,  capturing  one 
thousand  horses.  On  the  22d  of  May  the  command  reached 
Wool's  encampment,  and  on  the  27th,  that  of  General  Taylor. 

As  the  term  of  service  of  these  gallant  men  had  expired,  they 
now  commenced  their  return.  Early  in  June  they  marched 
through  Matamoras,  and  on  the  16th,  arrived  at  New  Orleans. 
Their  reception  was  most  enthusiastic,  and  they  set  out  for  their 
homes  laden  with  the  honours  and  congratulations  of  a  benefited 
republic. 

Meanwhile  a  military  and  naval  force  under  the  direction,  first, 
of  Commodore  Sloat,  and  afterwards  of  Commodore  Stockton, 
had  taken  possession  of  California  and  published  a  proclamation 
to  the  inhabitants,  claiming  it  as  part  of  the  United  States.  The 
head-quarters  of  his  forces  was  the  Ciudad  de  los  Angelos.  An 
elective  government  was  established,  officers  elected,  and  a  tariff 
on  imports  established.  Stockton  then  proceeded  to  San  Fran- 
cisco. The  fleet  in  the  meanwhile  blockaded  the  entire  coast  of 
California,  and  on  the  19th  of  November,  1846,  captured  the 
town  of  Panuco. 

While  the  commodore  was  congratulating  himself  upon  the 
favourable  condition  of  affairs,  the  inhabitants  of  los  Angelos 


DISPUTE    BETWEEN    KEARNY    AND    STOCKTON.    616 


Capture  of  Panuco. 


suddenly  arose  in  revolt,  and  compelled  the  surrender  of  Captain 
Gillespie,  with  thirty  men.  Immediately  after  the  whole  region 
south  of  Monterej-  (California)  were  in  arms.  Stockton,  accom- 
panied by  Colonel  Fremont,  hastened  back,  and  commenced  a 
desnltory  war  with  the  insurrectionists,  which  lasted  until  Janu- 
ary, 1847,  when,  in  the  battle  of  San  Gabriel  (8th  and  9th)  the 
Mexicans  were  defeated,  and  subordination  restored.  Kearny, 
who  had  lately  arrived  in  California,  was  the  acting  officer  in 
this  battle. 

A  dispute  now  arose  between  Kearny  and  Stockton  concern- 
ing the  government  of  California.  The  former  produced  his 
commission  as  governor  from  the  president;  but  for  several 
reasons,  Stockton  declared  it  null,  and  in  his  despatches,  relating 
to  the  battle  of  San  Gabriel,  omits  all  mention  of  assistance  from 
the  general.  To  this  opinion  Colonel  Fremont  assented.  Kearny 
submitted  until  the  arrival  of  reinforcements,  when  Stockton 
left  the  territory,  and  the  general  arrested  Fremont,  and  sent  him 
to  the  United  States.  After  a  most  thorough  investigation, 
which  lasted  more  than  two  months,  he  was  found  guilty  of 
mutiny,  disobedience  of  orders,  and  unofficer-like  conduct,  and 
sentenced  to  be  dismissed  from  the  army.  Being  recommended, 
however,  to  the  clemency  of  the  president,  the  sentence  was  re- 
mitted, and  the  colonel  immediately  reported  for  duty. 


i 


■I'lli 

ill. 

illii 


4 


ti 


I 
I' 

I  it! 


\-  J 


616 


SCOTT    ORDERED    TO    MEXICO. 


OaiMnlWoftk. 


CHAPTER   Vll. 


<B«ptuc(  of  ^rri  <!rru!. 

N  receiving  news  of  the  actual  commence, 
ment  of  hostilities,  at  the  Rio  Grande,  Gene- 
ral Scott  commander-in-chief  of  the  Ameri- 
can army,  requested  of  government  privi- 
lege to  join  the  army  of  occupation  with  a 
large  force,  and  push  forward  rapidly  for 
the  Mexican  capital.  This  was  refused,  and 
the  commander  obliged  to  remain  inactive 
until  November,  when  he  received  orders 

to  repair  immediately  to  the  seat  of  war.      Accordingly  he 

reached  the  Rio  Grande,  January  1st,  1S47. 


LANDING    A.T    VERA    CRUZ. 


617 


Scott's  sphere  of  operations  was  dilForeut  from  that  of  Taylor. 
\Vitli  his  own  troops,  and  tliose  drawn  from  the  army  of  occupa- 
tion, (numbering  altogether  about  twelve  thousand,)  he  had 
been  ordered  to  proceed  against  the  city  of  Vera  Cruz  and  its 
castle,  as  the  first  step  in  a  grand  scale  of  operations,  the  destinar 
tion  of  which  was  the  city  of  Mexico. 

After  considerable  delay  in  completing  necessary  arrange- 
ments, the  tleet  under  Commodore  Conner,  having  on  board  the 
commander  and  his  army,  arrived  off  Vera  Cruz.  The  landing 
is  thus  described  by  the  commodore  himself: 

"  The  anchorage  near  this  place  being  extremely  contracted, 
it  became  necessary,  in  order  to  avoid  crowding  it  with  an  un- 
due mimber  of  vessels,  to  transfer  most  of  the  troops  to  the  ves- 
sels of  war  for  transportation  to  Sacrificios.  Accordingly,  on  the 
morning  of  the  9th,  at  daylight,  all  necessary  preparations — 
such  as  launching  and  numbering  the  boats,  detailing  officers, 
&c. — having  been  previously  made,  this  transfer  was  com- 
menced. The  frigates  received  on  board  between  twenty-five 
and  twenty-eight  hundred  men  each,  with  their  arms  and  ac- 
coutrements, and  the  sloops  and  smaller  vessels  numbers  in 
proportion.  This  part  of  the  movement  was  completed  very 
successfully  about  eleven  o'clock,  a.  m.,  and  a  few  minutes 
thereafter  the  squadron  under  my  command,  accompanied  by 
the  commanding  general,  in  the  steamship  Massachusetts,  and 
such  of  the  transports  as  had  been  selected  for  the  purpose,  got 
under  way. 

"  The  weather  was  very  fine — indeed  we  could  not  have  been 
more  favoured  in  this  particular  than  we  were.  "We  had  a  fresh 
and  yet  gentle  breeze  from  the  south-east,  and  a  perfectly 
smooth  sea.  The  passage  to  Sacrificios  occupied  us  between 
two  and  three  hours.  Each  ship  came  in  and  anchored  without 
the  slightest  disorder  or  confusion,  in  the  small  space  allotted  to 
her — the  harbour  being  still  very  much  crowded,  notwithstand 
ing  the  number  of  transports  we  had  left  behind.  The  disem- 
barkation commenced  on  the  instant.  -■    - 

"  Whilst  we  were  transferring  the  troops  from  the  ships  to  the 
surf-boats,  (sixty-five  in  number,)  I  directed  the  steamers  Spit- 
lire  and  Vixen,  and  the  five  gun-boats,  to  form  a  line  parallel 


IM 


'km 

mil 


3f2 


78 


018 


LANDING    AT    VERA    CRUZ. 


with  and  close  in  to  the  beach,  to  cover  the  landing.  Tliis  order 
was  promptly  executed,  and  these  small  vessels,  from  the  light- 
ness of  their  draft,  were  enabled  to  take  positions  within  good 
grape-range  of  the  shore.  As  the  boats  severally  received  their 
complements  of  troops,  they  assembled  in  a  line,  abreast,  between 
the  fleet  and  the  gun-boats;  £nd  when  all  were  ready,  they 
pulled  in  together,  under  the  guidance  of  a  number  of  officers  of 
the  squadron,  who  had  been  detailed  for  this  purpose.  General 
Worth  commanded  this,  the  first  line  of  the  army,  and  had  the 
satisfaction  of  forming  his  command  on  the  beach  and  neighbour- 
ing heights  just  before  sunset.  Four  thousand  five  hundred  men 
were  thus  thrown  on  shore,  almost  simultaneously.  No  enemy 
appeared  to  offer  us  the  slightest  opposition.  The  first  line 
being  landed,  the  boats  in  successive  trips  relieved  the  men-of- 
war  and  transports  of  the  remaining  troops  by  ten  o'clock,  p.  m. 
The  whole  army,  (save  a  few  straggling  companies,)  consisting 
of  upwards  of  ten  thousand  men,  were  thus  safely  deposited  on 
shore,  without  the  slightest  accident  of  any  kind. 

"  The  officers  and  seamen  under  my  command  vied  %vith  each 
other,  on  this  occasion,  in  a  zealous  and  energetic  performance 
of  their  duty.  I  cannot  but  express  to  the  department  the  great 
satisfaction  I  have  derived  from  witnessing  their  efforts  to  con- 
tribute all  in  their  power  to  the  success  of  their  more  fortunate 
brethren  of  the  army.  The  weather  still  continuing  fine,  to-day 
we  are  engaged  in  landing  the  artillery,  horses,  provisions,  and 
other  materiel.  The  steamer  New  Orleans,  with  the  Louisiana 
regiment  of  volunteers,  eight  hundred  strong,  arrived  most  op- 
portunely at  Anton  Lizardo,  just  as  we  had  put  ourselves  in 
motion.  She  joined  us,  and  her  troops  were  landed  with  the 
rest.  Another  transport  arrived  at  this  anchorage  to-day.  Her 
troops  have  also  been  landed."  ^ 

An  account  of  this  celebr  ited  siege  we  give  in  General  Scott's 
own  words.     His  first  despatch  is  dated  March  23d,  1847 : 

"  Yesterday,  seven  of  our  ten-inch  mortars  being  in  battery, 
and  the  labours  for  planting  the  remainder  of  our  heavy  metal 
being  in  progress,  I  addressed,  at  two  o'clock,  p.  m.,  a  summons 
to  the  governor  of  Vera  Cruz,  and  within  two  hours  limited  by 
the  bearer  of  the  flag,  received  the  governer's  answer.     Copies 


-^^jN 


SIEGE    OF    VERA    CRUZ. 


619 


Siege  of  Vera  Cruc. 

of  the  two  papers  (marked  respectively,  A  and  B)  are  herewith 
inclosed. 

"  It  will  be  perceived  that  the  governer,  who  it  turns  out  is 
the  commander  of  both  places,  chose,  against  the  plain  terms  of 
the  summons,  to  suppose  me  to  have  demanded  the  surrender  of 
the  castle  and  of  the  city — when,  in  fact,  from  the  non-arrival  of 
our  heavy  metal — principally  mortars — I  Was  in  no  condition  to 
threaten  the  former. 

"  On  the  return  of  the  flag  with  that  reply,  I  at  once  ordered  the 

seven  mortars,  in  battery,  to  open  upon  the  city.     In  a  short  time 

the  smaller  vessels  of  Commodore  Perry's  squadron — two  steamers 

and  five  schooners — according  to  previous  arrangement  with  him, 

approached  the  city  within  about  a  mile  and  an  eighth,  whence, 

being  partially  covered  from  the  castle — an  essential  condition 

to  their  safety — they  also  opened  a  brisk  fire  upon  the  city. 

This  has  been  continued,  uninterruptedly,  by  the  mortars,  only 

with  a  few  intermissions,  by  the  vessels,  up  to  nine  oVlock  this 
128 


m 


;is  ''i! 


Ill 

jij 
||M!llii 


m 


ill. 


Ml- 


m 


620 


SIEGE    OF    VERA    CRU^. 


morning,  when  the  commodore  very  properly  called  them  off  a 
position  too  daringly  assumed. 

"  Our  three  remaining  mortars  are  now  (twelve  o'clock,  m)  in 
battery,  and  the  whole  ten  in  activity.  To-morrow,  early,  if  the 
city  should  continue  obstinate,  batteries  Nos.  4  and  6  will  be 
ready  to  add  their  fire :  No.  4,  consisting  of  four  twenty-four- 
pounders  and  two  eight-inch  paixhan  guns,  and  No.  6,  (naval 
battery,)  of  three  thirty-two-pounders  and  three  eight-inch 
paixhans — ^the  guns,  officers,  and  sailors  landed  from  the  squad- 
ron— our  friends  of  the  navy  being  unremitting  in  their  zealous 
co-operation,  in  every  mode  and  form. 

"  So  far,  we  know  that  our  fire  upon  the  city  has  been  highly 
effective — particularly  from  the  batteries  of  ten-inch  mortars, 
planted  at  about  eight  hundred  yards  from  the  city.  Including 
the  preparation  and  defense  of  the  batteries,  from  the  beginning 
— ^now  many  days—  and  notwithstanding  the  heavy  fire  of  the 
enemy  from  city  and  castle,  we  have  only  had  four  or  five  men 
wounded,  and  one  officer  and  one  man  killed,  in  or  near  the 
trenches.  That  officer  was  Captain  John  R.  Vinton,  of  the 
United  States  3d  artillery,  one  of  the  most  talented,  accomplished, 
and  effective  members  of  the  army,  and  was  highly  distinguished 
in  the  brilliant  operations  at  Monterey.  He  fell,  last  evening, 
m  the  trenches,  where  he  was  on  dutv  as  fieid  and  commandinff 
officer,  universally  regretted.  I  hare  just  attended  his  honoured 
remains  to  a  soldier's  grave,  in  full  view  of  the  enemy,  and  within 
reach  of  his  guns. 

"  Thirteen  of  the  long-needed  mortars — leaving  twenty-  seven, 
besides  heavy  guns,  behind — have  arrived,  and  two  of  them 
landed.  A  heavy  norther  then  set  in  (at  meridian)  which 
stopped  that  operation,  and  also  the  landing  of  shells.  Hence 
the  fire  of  our  mortar  batteries  has  been  slackened,  sinco  two 
o'clock  to-day,  and  cannot  be  reinvigorated  until  we  shall  again 
have  a  smooth  sea.  In  the  mean  time  I  shall  leave  this  report 
open  for  journalizing  events  that  may  occur  up  to  the  departure 
of  the  steamship  of  war  Princeton,  with  Commodore  Conner, 
who,  I  learn,  expects  to  leave  the  anchorage  off  Sacrificios,  for 
the  United  States,  the  25th  instant. 

"  March  24. — The  storm  having  subsided  in  the  night,  we 


SIEGE    OF    VERA     CRUZ. 


621 


id  them  off  a 


comnienced  this  forenoon,  as  soon  as  the  sea  became  a  little 
smooth,  to  land  shot,  shells,  and  mortars. 

"  The  naval  battery,  No.  5,  was  opened,  with  great  activity, 
under  Captain  Aulick,  the  second  in  rank  of  the  squadron,  at 
about  ten  a.  m.  His  fire  was  continued  to  two  o'clock,  p.  m.,  a 
little  before  he  was  relieved  by  Captain  Mayo,  who  landed  with 
a  fresh  supply  of  ammunition — Captain  A.  having  exhausted 
the  supply  he  had  brought  with  him.  He  lost  four  sailors, 
killed,  and  had  one  officer,  Lieutenant  Baldwin,  slightly  hurt. 

"The  mortar  batteries,  Nos.  1,  2,  and  3,  have  fired  but 
languidly  during  the  day,  for  the  want  of  shells,  which  are  now 
going  out  from  the  beach. 

"  Battery  No.  4,  which  will  mount  four  twenty-four-pounders 
and  two  eight-inch  paixhan  guns,  has  been  much  delayed  in 
the  hands  of  the  indefatigable  engineers  by  the  norther,  that 
filled  up  the  work  with  sand  nearly  as  fast  as  it  could  be  opened 
by  the  hal'-t)!  ided  labourers.  It  will,  however,  doubtless  be  in 
full  activity  to-morrow  morning. 

"March  *:\  Ail  the  batteries,  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  4,  and  5,  are  in 
awful  activity  this  morning.  The  effect  is,  no  doubt,  very  great, 
and  I  think  the  city  cannot  hold  out  beyond  to-day.  To-mor- 
row morning  many  of  the  new  mortars  will  be  in  a  position  to 
add  their  fire,  when,  or  after  the  delay  of  some  twelve  hours,  if 
no  proposition  to  surrender  should  be  received,  I  shall  organize 
parties  for  carrying  the  city  by  assault.  So  far  the  defense 
has  been  spirited  and  obstinate. 

"  I  inclose  a  copy  of  a  memorial  received  last  night,  signed 
by  the  consuls  of  Great  Britain,  France,  Spain,  and  Prussia, 
within  Vera  Cruz,  asking  me  to  grant  a  truce  to  enable  the 
neutrals,  together  with  Mexican  women  and  children  to  with- 
draw from  the  scene  of  havoc  about  them.  I  shall  reply,  the 
moment  that  an  opportunity  may  be  taken,  to  say — First,  That 
a  truce  can  only  be  granted  on  the  application  of  Governor 
Morales,  with  a  view  to  surrender ;  second,  That  in  sending 
safeguards  to  the  different  consuls,  beginning  as  far  back  as  the 
13th  instant,  I  distinctly  admonished  them,  particularly  the 
French  and  Spanish  consuls — and,  of  course,  through  the  two, 
the  other  consuls — of  the  dangers  that  have  followed  ;  third,  That 


til 


i 


J:f|||l 


>;'!  ■ 


622 


SIEGE    OF    VERA    CRUZ. 


although,  at  that  date,  I  had  already  refused  to  allow  any  person 
whatsoever  to  pass  the  line  of  investment  either  way,  yet  the 
blockade  had  been  left  open  to  the  consuls  and  other  neutrals  tu 
pass  out  to  their  respective  ships  of  war  up  to  the  22d  instant; 
and,  fourth,  I  shall  inclose  to  the  memorialists  a  copy  of  my 
summons  to  the  governor,  to  show  that  I  had  fully  considered 
the  impending  hardships  and  distresses  of  the  place,  including 
those  of  women  and  children,  before  one  gun  had  been  fired  in 
that  direction.  The  intercourse  between  the  neutral  ships  of 
war  and  the  city  was  stopped  at  the  last-mentioned  date  by 
Commodore  Perry,  with  my  concurrence,  which  I  placed  on  the 
ground  that  that  intercourse  could  not  fail  to  give  to  the  enemy 
mwal  aid  and  comfort. 

"  It  will  be  seen  from  the  memorial,  that  our  batteries  have 
already  had  a  terrible  effect  on  the  city,  (also  known  through 
other  sources,)  and  hence  the  inference  that  a  surrender  must 
soon  be  proposed." 

In  a  subsequent  letter  he  writes : 

"  The  flag  of  the  United  States  of  America  floats  triumphantly 
over  the  walls  of  this  city  and  the  castle  of  St.  Juan  de  Ulloa. 

"  Our  troops  have  garrisoned  both  since  ten  o'clock.  It  is 
now  noon.  Brigadier-General  Worth  is  in  command  of  the  two 
places. 

"  Articles  of  capitulation  were  signed  and  exchanged  at  a  late 
hour  night  before  the  last. 

"  I  have  heretofore  reported  the  principal  incidents  of  the 
siege,  up  to  the  25th  instant.  Nothing  of  striking  interest 
occurred,  until  early  in  the  morning  of  the  next  day,  when  I  re- 
ceived overtures  from  General  Landero,  on  whom  General 
Morales  had  devolved  the  principal  command.  A  terrible  storm 
of  wind  and  sand  made  it  difficult  to  communicate  with  the  city, 
and  impossible  to  refer  to  Commodore  Perry.  I  was  obliged  to 
entertain  the  proposition  alone,  or  to  continue  the  fire  upon  a 
place  that  had  shown  a  disposition  to  surrender ;  for  the  loss  of 
a  day,  or  perhaps  several,  could  not  be  permitted. 

"  Yesterday,  after  the  norther  had  abated,  and  the  commission- 
ers appointed  by  me  early  the  morning  before  had  again  met 
those*  appointed  by  General  Landero,  Commodore  Perry  sent 


COMMISSIONERS    APPOINTED. 


623 


any  person 
ay,  yet  the 
neutrals  tu 
12d  instant; 
copy  of  my 
'  considered 
e,  including 
jen  fired  in 
ral  ships  of 
led  date  by 
laced  on  the 
o  the  enemy 

itteries  have 
Dwn  through 
render  must 


triumphantly 
n  de  UUoa. 
clock.     It  is 
nd  of  the  two 

nged  at  a  late 

dents  of  the 
dng  interest 
'',  when  I  re- 
lom  General 
lerrible  storm 
With  the  city, 
[as  obliged  to 
fire  upon  a 
^r  the  loss  of 

commission- 
Id  again  met 
Perry  sent 


!!■  li'lll 


American  Fleei  laluting  tbe  Castle  after  its  eurrnnder. 

ashore  his  second  in  command,  Captain  Aulick,  as  a  commis- 
sioner on  the  part  of  the  navy.  Although  not  included  in  my 
specific  arrangement  made  with  the  Mexican  commander,  I  did 
not  hesitate,  with  proper  courtesy,  to  desire  that  Captain  Aulick 
might  be  duly  introduced  and  allowed  to  participate  in  the  dis- 
cussions and  acts  of  the  commissioners  who  had  been  reciprocally 
accredited.  The  original  American  commissioners  were.  Brevet 
Brigadier-General  Worth,  Brigadier-General  Pillow,  and  Colonel 
Totten.  Four  more  able  or  judicious  officers  could  not  have 
been  desired. 

"  The  remaining  details  of  the  siege ;  the  able  co-operation  of 
the  United  States  squadron,  successively  under  the  command 
of  Commodores  Conner  and  Perry ;  the  admirable  conduct  of 
the  whole  army — regulars  and  volunteers — I  should  be  happy  to 
dwell  upon  as  they  deserve ;  but  the  steamer  Princeton,  with 
Commodore  Conner  on  board,  is  under  way,  and  I  have  com- 
menced organizing  an  advance  into  the  interior.  This  may  be 
delayed  a  few  days,  waiting  the  arrival  of  additional  means  of 
transportation.  In  the  mean  time,  a  joint  operation,  by  land  and 
water,  will  be  made  upon  Alvarado.  No  lateral  exj^edition,  how 
ever,  shall  interfere  with  the  grand  movement  towards  the 
capital." 


'I 
:  :  i| 


624 


TERMS    OF    CAPITULATION. 


|HE  city  and  castle  of  Vera 
Cruz  surrendered  on  the  fol- 
lowing terms,  which  were 
rigidly  adhered  to : 

"1.  The  whole  garrison, 
or  garrisons,  to  be  surrendered  to  the 
arms  of  the  United  States,  as  prisoners 
of  war,  the  29th  instant,  at  ten  o'clock, 
A.  M.;  the  garrisons  to  be  permitted  to 
march  out  with  all  the  honours  of  war, 
and  to  lay  down  their  arms  to  such  oflficers  as  may  be  appointed 
by  the  general-in-chief  of  the  United  States  armies,  and  at  a 
point  to  be  agreed  upon  by  the  commissioners. 

"2.  Mexican  officers  shall  preserve  their  arms  and  private 
effects,  including  horses  and  horse-furniture,  and  to  be  allowed, 
regular  and  irregular  officers,  as  also  the  rank  and  file,  five  days 
to  retire  to  their  respective  homes,  on  parole,  as  hereinafter  pre- 
scribed. 

"  3.  Coincident  with  the  surrender,  as  stipulated  in  article  1, 
the  Mexican  flags  of  the  various  forts  and  stations  shall  be 
struck,  saluted  by  their  own  batteries ;  and  immediately  there- 
after. Forts  Santiago  and  Conception,  and  the  castle  of  San  Juan 
de  UUoa,  occupied  by  the  forces  of  the  United  States. 

"  4.  The  rank  and  file  of  the  regular  portion  of  the  prisoners 
to  be  disposed  of  after  surrender  and  parole,  as  their  general-in- 
chief  may  desire,  and  the  irregular  to  be  permitted  to  return  to 
their  homes.  The  officers,  in  respect  to  all  arms  and  descrip- 
tions of  force,  giving  the  usual  parole,  that  the  said  rank  and  file, 
as  well  as  themselves,  shall  not  serve  again  until  duly  exchanged. 
"  5.  All  the  materiel  of  war,  and  all  public  property  of  every 
description  found  in  the  city,  the  castle  of  San  Juan  de  Ulloa 
and  their  dependencies,  to  belong  to  the  United  States ;  but  the 
armament  of  the  same,  (not  injured  or  destroyed  in  the  further 
prosecution  of  the  actual  war,)  may  be  considered  as  liable  to  be 
restored  to  Mexico  by  a  definite  treaty  of  peace. 

"  6.  The  sick  and  wounded  Mexicans. to  be  allowed  to  remain 
in  the  city  with  such  medical  officers  and  attendants,  and  officers 
of  the  army,  as  may  be  necessary  to  their  care  and  treatment. 


V- 


m 


tie  of  Vera 

d  on  the  fol- 

jehich  were 

to: 

lie  garrison, 

iered  to  the 


TERMS    OP    CAPITULATION. 


62d 


"7.  Absolute  protection  is  solemnly  guarantied  to  persons 
in  the  city,  and  property,  and  it  is  clearly  understood  that  no 
private  building  or  property  is  to  be  taken  or  used  by  the  forces 
cf  the  United  States,  without  previous  arrangement  with  the 
owners,  and  for  a  fair  equivalent. 

"  8.  Absolute  freedom  of  religious  worship  and  ceremonies  is 
solemnly  oruarantierl." 


i  / 


e  of  San  Juan 


i 


lllliii 


Mexicsni  luttvlitK  VerK  Viui. 


M 


so 


wed  to  remain 
ts,  and  officers 
i  treatment. 


1 1 


626 


ADVANCE    TO    THE    CAPITAL. 


Commencement  of  the  Guerilla  Warfure. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


0i»ttff   to   tf)t   ®a{9ital. 

FTER  remaining  more  than  two  weeks  with  his  army 
at  Vera  Cruz,  General  Scott  commenced  his  advance, 
April  8th,  for  the  capital.     On  the  11th,  Twiggs's 
division  reached  the  Plan  del  Rio,  where,  in  a  few 
days,  it  was  joined  by  those  of  Quitman  and  Worth. 

At  this  time  Santa  Anna  was  stationed  at  the  strong  mountain 
pass  of  Sierra  Gordo,  which  he  had  fortified  with  the  greatest 
precaution.    Here  he  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  Americans  with 


DESCRIPTION    OF    SIERRA    GORDO. 


627 


kth  his  army 
Ihis  advance, 
Ih,  Twiggs's 
Ire,  in  a  few 


firmness,  calculating,  that  the  advantages  of  his  position,  and 
his  superiority  of  force,  would  give  him  an  easy  victory  over  the 
army  of  General  Scott.  An  actor  in  the  battle  of  Sierra  Gordo 
thus  describes  this  position  : 

"  The  road  from  Vera  Cruz,  as  it  passes  the  Plan  del  Rio, 
which  is  a  wide,  rocky  bed  of  a  once  large  stream,  is  commanded 
by  a  series  of  high  cliffs,  rising  one  above  the  other,  and  extend- 
ing several  miles,  and  all  well  fortified.     The  road  then  de- 
bouches to  the  right,  and,  curving  around  the  ridge,  passes  over 
a  high  cliff,  which  is  completely  enfiladed   by  forts  and  bat- 
teries.    This  ridge  is  the  commencement  of  Ten'a  Templada,  the 
upper  or  mountainous  country.     The  high  and  rocky  ravine  of 
the  river  protected  the  right  flank  of  the  position,  and  a  series 
of  most  abrupt  and  apparently  impassable  mountains  and  ridges 
covered  their  left.     Between  these  points,  running  a  distance  of 
two  or  threfe  miles,  a  succession  of  strongly  fortified  forts  bristled 
at  every  turn,  and  seemed  to  defy  all  bravery  and  skill.     The 
Sierra  Gordo  commanded  the  road  on  a  gentle  declination,  like 
a  glacis,  for  nearly  a  mile — an  approach  in  that  direction  was 
impossible.     A  front  attack  must  have  terminated  in  the  almost 
entire  annihilation  of  our  army.    But  the  enemy  expected  such 
an  attack,  confiding  in  the  desperate  valour  of  our  men,  and  be- 
lieving that  it  was  impossible  to  turn  their  position  to  the  right 
or  left.     General  Scott,  however,  with  the  eye  of  a  skilful  gene- 
ral, perceived  the  trap  set  for  him,  and  determined  to  avoid  it. 
He,  therefore,  had  a  road  cut  to  the  right,  so  as  to  escape  the 
front  fire  from  the  Sierra,  and  turn  his  position  on  the  left  flank. 
This  movement  was  made  known  to  the  enemy  by  a  deserter 
from  our  camp,  and  consequently  a  large  increase  of  force  under 
General  Vega  was  sent  to  the  forts  on  their  left. 

"  General  Scott,  to  cover  his  flank  movements,  on  the  17th  of 
April,  ordered  forward  General  Twiggs  against  the  fort  on  the 
steep  ascent,  in  front  and  a  little  to  the  left  of  the  Sierra.  Colo- 
nel Harney  commanded  this  expedition,  and,  at  the  head  of  the 
rifles  and  some  detachments  of  infantry  and  artillery,  carried  his 
position  under  a  heavy  fire  of  grape  and  musketry.  Having 
secured  this  position  in  front  and  near  the  enemy's  strongest 
fortification,  and  having  bv  incredible  labour  elevated  one  of  our 


628 


BATTLE    OF    SIERRA    GORDO. 


m^ 


Oennral  Twiggi. 

large  guns  to  the  top  of  the  fort,  General  Scott  prepared  to  follow 
up  his  advantages.  A  demonstration  was  made  from  this  position 
against  another  strong  fort  in  the  rear,  and  near  the  Sierra,  but 
the  enemy  was  considered  too  strong,  and  the  undertaking  was 
abandoned.     A  like  demonstration  was  made  by  the  enemy." 

Every  thing  being  now  ready  for  a  general  attack,  Twiggs's 
division  moved  on  the  morning  of  the  18th,  against  the  main 
fortress,  Pillow's  against  that  on  the  right,  and  Shields's  and 
Worth's  to  the  road  in  order  to  cut  off  all  retreat.  The  troops 
composing  the  first,  headed  by  Colonel  Harney,  pushed  forward 
under  a  tremendous  fire,  and  soon  swept  the  works  with  the 
bayonet ;  but  La  Vega  succeeded  in  repulsing  General  Pillow. 
He  finally  surrendered,  however  on  ascertaining  that  Santa 
Anna  was  defeated.  The  latter  fled  with  precipitation,  accom- 
panied by  Generals  Almonte  and  Canalize,  and  about  half  the 
army  escaped  by  flight.  He  was  so  hotly  pursued  by  Colonel 
Harney,  as  to  leave  behind  his  state  carriage,  trunks,  and  several 
thousand  dollars  in  silver. 


j.bBj'.. 


e 


ired  to  follow 
this  position 

Sierra,  but 
ertaking  was 
le  enemy." 
,ck,  Twi<Tgs's 
tist  the  main 
hields's  and 

The  troops 
shed  forward 
rks  with  the 
neral  Pillow. 

that  Santa 
;ation,  accom- 
30ut  half  the 
d  by  Colonel 
s,  and  several 


TWIOOS    ENTERS    JALAPA. 


631 


Battle  of  Bl«m  Gordo. 


this  battle  the  Americans  lost  about  l-s  n 
hundred  and  fifty  in  killed  and  wound  ed. 
General  Shields  was  shot  through  the 
lungs  by  a  musket  ball,  but,  to  the  astonishment 
of  all,  survived.     The  loss  of  the  Mexicans  was 
about    the    same,  exclusive  of  prisoners,   v  ho 
'  numbered  three  thousand.     So  great  a  quantity 

of  stores,  small  arms,  cannon,  ammunition,  &c.,  were  taken,  that 
General  Scott,  in  his  despatch  to  government,  stated  that  he 
was  embarrassed  with  the  results  of  victory.  The  force  of  the 
enemy  in  this  battle  numbered  eleven  thousanc^  +hat  of  the 
Americans,  six  thousand. 

The  several  divisions  of  the  army  rapidly  pursued  their  suc- 
cess. On  the  19th  Twiggs  entered  Jalapa  without  opposition. 
On  the  22d  General  Worth  took  undisputed  possession  of  the 
town  and  castle  of  Perote,  one  of  the  strongest  in  Mexico.  Tus- 
pan,  on  the  sea  coast,  had  been  previously  taken  (18th)  by  a 
portion  of  the  gulf  squadron,  under  Commodore  Perry.  Worth 
remained  near  Jalapa  until  the  15th  of  May,  when  he  capturea 
the  city  of  Puebla.  A  description  of  this  great  achievement  is 
given  by  one  of  his  officers. 
* "  General  Worth's  command,  four  thousand  strong,  entered 


633 


CAPTUHE    OF   PUEBLA. 


Capture  of  Tuepnii. 

and  took  possession  of  this  city  of  palaces,  with  its  eighty  thou- 
sand population,  on  the  15th.  Our  guns  gape  on  the  city,  and 
on  its  lazaroni,  from  every  quarter.  At  Amazogue,  twelve  miles  in 
the  rear,  Santa  Anna  came  out  to  meet  us  with  a  column  of  about 
three  thousand  five  hundred,  supposing  as  was  the  fact,  that  one 
of  General  Worth's  brigades  (Quitman's)  was  in  the  rear.  We 
gave  him  the  usual  reception,  a  la  Rough  and  Ready.  We  could 
only  get  Santa  Anna  near  enough  to  give  play  to  our  light  bat- 
teries, and  only  keep  him  in  range  long  enough  to  unsaddle 
ninety  cavalry.  Santa  Anna  never  fired  a  shot,  and  of  course 
there  was  no  loss  on  our  side.  We  followed  as  close  on  his  heels 
as  tired  foot  could  after  Mexican  horses  well  frightened,  and 
entered  Puebla  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  while  Santa  Anna 
nad  left  at  four  o'clock,  with  a  guard  of  three  hundred  or  four 
hundred  cavalry.  Could  General  Worth  have  reached  him, 
General  Santa  Anna  and  his  force  would  have  been  destroyed." 
The  army  remained  at  Puebla  until  August,  when  General 
Scott  began  his  famous  march  for  the  city  of  Mexico.  The  troops 
passed  the  Rio  Frio  without  opposition,  and  on  the  10th  reached 
Ayotla.   Here  a  careful  reconnoissance  was  made  of  the  p(  isition 


DESCRIPTION    OP  CHURUBUSCO. 


633 


El  Penon,  a  fortification  strongly  defended  by  both  nature  and 
art.  It  had  also  been  garrisoned  with  so  much  care,  that  Gene- 
ral Scott  determined  to  avoid  it  by  marching  round  Lake  Chalco, 
over  a  road  discovered  by  General  Worth.  On  the  evening  of 
the  17th,  Worth's  division  arrived  near  San  Antonio,  after  a  most 
toilsome  march  over  a  rugged,  broken  road.  On  the  following 
day  Captain  Thornton  was  killed  while  reconnoitering  the  Mexi- 
can position.  The  troops  lay  on  their  arms  all  night,  and  on  the 
following  day,  at  one  o'clock  p.  m.,  Generals  Smith  and  Twiggs 
attacked  Contreras.  This  strong  fortress  was  carried  before  day- 
light of  the  20th.  An  officer  thus  describes  the  taking  of  Chu- 
rubusco. 

"Meanwhile  General  Worth  had  made  a  demonstration  on 
San  Anto  io,  where  the  enemy  w  as  fortified  in  a  strong  hacienda ; 
but  they  retired,  on  his  approach,  to  Churubusco,  where  the  works 
were  deemed  impregnable.  They  consisted  of  a  fortified  hacienda, 
which  was  surrounded  by  a  high  and  thick  wall  on  all  sides. 
Inside  the  wall  was  a  stone  building,  the  roof  of  which  was  flat 
and  higher  than  the  walls.  Above  all  this  was  a  stone  church, 
still  higher  than  the  rest,  and  having  a  large  steeple.  The  wall 
was  pierced  with  loopholes,  and  so  arranged  that  there  were  two 
tiers  of  men  firing  at  the  same  time.  They  thus  had  four  differ- 
ent ranges  of  men  firing  at  once,  and  four  ranks  were  formed  on 
each  rwige  and  placed  at  such  a  height  that  they  could  not  only 
overlook  all  the  surrounding  country,  but  at  the  same  time  they 
had  a  plunging  fire  upon  us.  Outside  the  hacienda,  and  com- 
pletely commanding  the  avenues  of  approach,  was  a  field-work 
extending  around  two  sides  of  the  work  and  protected  by  a  deep, 
wet  ditch,  and  armed  with  seven  large  pieces.  This  hacienda  is 
at  the  commencement  of  the  causeway  leading  to  the  western 
gate  of  the  city,  and  had  to  be  passed  before  getting  on  the  road. 
About  three  hundred  yards  in,  the  rear  of  this  work,  another 
field-work  had  been  built  where  a  cross  road  meets  the  causeway, 
at  a  point  where  it  crosses  a  river,  thus  "forming  a  bridge  head, 
or  tete  de  pont.  This  was  also  very  strong  and  armed  with  three 
very  large  pieces  of  cannon.  The  works  were  surrounded  on 
every  side  by  large  corn-fields,  which  were  filled  with  the 
enemy's  skirmishers,  so  that  it  was  difficult  to  make  a  reconnois- 

8G 


I 


.!•    I! 


634 


BATTLE    OF    C  H  U  R  U  B  U  S  C  O. 


Battle  of  Churiibuscn. 


sance.  It  was  therefore  decided  to  make  the  attack  immediately, 
as  they  were  full  of  men  and  extended  for  nearly  a  mile  on  the 
road  to  the  city,  completely  covering  the  causeway.  The  attack 
commenced  about  one  p.  m.  General  Twiggs's  division  attacked 
on  the  side  towards  which  they  approached  the  fort,  i.  e.,  opposite 
the  city.  General  Worth's  attacked  the  bridge  head  which  he 
took  in  about  an  hour  and  a  half;  while  Generals  Pillow  and 
Quitman  were  on  the  extreme  left,  between  the  causeway  and 
Twiggs's  division.  The  rifles  were  on  the  left,  and  in  the  rear 
of  the  work,  intrusted  by  General  Scott  with  the  task  of  chargmg 
the  work  in  case  General  Pierce  gave  way.  The  firing  was  most 
tremendous — in  fact  one  continued  roll  while  the  combat  lasted. 
The  enemy,  from  their  elevated  position,  could  readily  see  oiir 
men,  who  were  unable  to  get  a  clear  view  from  their  position. 
Three  of  the  pieces  were  manned  by  "  The  Deserters,^*  a  body 
of  about  one  hundred,  whe  had  deserted  from  the  ranks  of  our 


BATTLE    OF    CHURUBUSCO. 


635 


army  during  the  war.  They  were  enrolled  in  two  companies, 
commanded  by  a  deserter,  and  were  better  uniformed  and  disci- 
plined than  the  rest  of  the  army.  These  men  fought  most  des- 
perately, and  are  said  not  only  to  have  shot  down  several  of  our 
officers  whom  they  knew,  but  to  have  pulled  down  the  white 
flag  of  surrender  no  less  than  three  times. 

HE  battle  raged  most  furiously 
for  about  three  hours,  when 
both  sides  having  lost  a  great 
many,  the  enemy  began  to 
give  way.  As  soon  as  they  commenced 
retreating,  Kearny's  squadron   passed 
through  the  tete  de  pont,  and  charging 
through  the   retreating  column,   pui 
sued  them  to  the  very  gate  of  the  city 
As  they  got  within  about  five  hundred 
yards  of  the  gate,  the/  were  opened  upon  with  grape  and 
canister,  and  several  officers  wounded. 

"  The  official  returns  give  our  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  at 
eleven  hundred  and  fifty,  besides  officers.  The  Mexican  loss  is 
five  hundred  killed  in  the  second  battle,  one  thousand  wounded, 
and  eleven  hundred  prisoners,  exclusive  of  officers.  Three  more 
generals  were  taken,  among  them  General  Rincon,  and  Anaya, 
the  provisional  president ;  also  ten  pieces  of  cannon,  and  an  im- 
mense amount  of  ammunition  and  stores,  Santa  Anna,  in  his  re- 
port, states  his  loss  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  at  twelve 
thousand.  He  has  only  eighteen  thousand  left  out  of  thirty 
thousand,  which  he  gives  as  his  force  on  the  20th,  in  both 
actions." 

Mindful  of  the  desire,  so  often  expressed  by  President  Polk,  to 
conquer  a  peace,  General  Scott  halted  his  victorious  troops 
within  sight  of  the  capital,  and  offered  terms  of  an  armistice  pre- 
paratory to  the  opening  of  negotiations  for  a  peace.  The  offer 
was  gladly  accepted,  and  an  armistice  concluded  on  the  following 
terms : 

Art.  1.  Hostilities  shall  instantly  and  absolutely  coiisc  uetween 
the  armies  of  the  United  States  of  America  and  the  United  Mexi 
can  States  within  thirty  leagues  of  the  capital  of  the  latter  states 


'     i     :il 


I 


G36 


THE    ARMISTICE. 


Wl 


to  allow  time  to  the  commissioners  appointed  by  the  United 
States  and  the  commisioners  to  be  appointed  by  the  Mexican 
republic  to  negotiate. 

2.  The  armistice  shall  continue  as  long  as  the  commissioners 
of  the  two  governments  may  be  engaged  on  negotiations,  or  until 
the  commander  of  either  of  the  said  armies  shall  give  formal 
notice  to  the  other  of  the  cessation  of  the  armistice  for  forty-eight 
hours  after  such  notice. 

3.  In  the  mean  time,  neither  army  shall,  within  thirty  leagues 
of  the  city  of  Mexico,  commence  any  new  fortification  or  military 
work  of  offence  or  defense,  or  do  any  thing  to  enlarge  or 
strengthen  any  existing  work  or  fortification  of  that  character 
within  the  said  limits. 

4.  Neither  army  shall  be  reinforced  within  the  same.  Any 
reinforcements  in  troops  or  munitions  of  v;ar,  other  than  subsist- 
ence now  approaching  either  army,  shall  be  stopped  at  the  dis- 
tance of  twenty-eight  leagues  from  the  city  of  Mexico. 

5.  Neither  army,  or  any  detachment  from  it,  shall  advance 
beyond  the  line  it  at  present  occupies. 

6.  Neither  army,  nor  any  detachment,  or  individual  of  either, 
shall  pass  the  neutral  limits  established  by  the  last  article,  ex- 
cept under  a  flag  of  truce  bearing  the  correspondence  between 
the  two  armies,  or  on  the  business  authorized  by  the  next  article ; 
and  individuals  of  either  army,  who  may  chance  to  straggle 
within  the  neutral  limits,  shall,  by  the  opposite  party,  be  kindly 
warned  off,  or  sent  back  to  their  own  armies  under  flags  of  truce. 

7.  The  American  army  shall  not,  by  violence,  obstruct  the 
passage  from  the  open  country  into  the  city  of  Mexico,  of  the 
ordinary  supplies  of  food  necessary  to  the  consumption  of  its  in- 
habitants, or  the  Mexican  army  within  the  city ;  nor  shall  the 
^lexican  authorities,  civil  or  military,  do  any  act  to  obstruct  the 
passage  of  supplies  from  the  city  or  country,  needed  by  the  Ame- 
rican army.  •  '       .    .       .'  ^ 

.  8.  All  American  prisoners  of  war  remaining  in  the  hands  of 
the  Mexican  army,  and  not  heretofore  exchanged,  shall  imme- 
diately, or  as  soon  as  practicable,  be  restored  to  the  American 
army,  against  a  like  number,  having  regard  to  rank,  of  Mejcican 
prisoners  captured  by  the  American  army. 


s 


THE    ARMISTICE. 


637 


ill  advance 


9.  All  American  citizens  who  were  established  in  the  city  of 
Mexico  prior  to  the  existing  war,  and  who  have  since  been  ex- 
pelled from  that  city,  shall  be  allowed  to  return  to  their  respect- 
ive business  or  families  therein,  without  delay  or  molestation. 

10.  The  better  to  enable  the  belligerent  armies  to  execute  these 
articles,  and  to  favour  the  great  object  of  peace,  it  is  further 
agreed  between  the  parties,  that  any  courier  with  despatches 
that  either  army  shall  desire  to  send  along  the  line  from  the  city 
of  Mexico  or  its  vicinity,  to  and  from  Vera  Cruz,  shall  receive  a 
safe  conduct  from  the  commander  of  the  opposing  army. 

11.  The  administration  of  justice  between  Mexicans,  according 
to  the  general  and  state  constitutions  and  laws,  by  the  local  au- 
thorities of  the  towns  and  places  occupied  by  the  American 
forces,  shall  not  be  obstructed  in  any  manner. 

12.  Persons  and  property  shall  be  respected  in  the  towns  and 
places  occupied  by  the  American  forces.  No  person  shall  be 
molested  in  the  exercise  of  his  profession ;  nor  shall  the  services 
of  any  one  be  required  without  his  consent.  In  all  cases  where 
services  are  voluntarily  rendered,  a  just  price  shall  be  paid,  and 
trade  remain  unmolested. 

13.  Those  wounded  prisoners  who  may  desire  to  remove  to 
some  more  convenient  place,  for  the  purpose  of  being  cured  of 
their  wounds,  shall  be  allowed  to  do  so  without  molestation,  they 
still  remaining  prisoners. 

14.  The  Mexican  medical  officers  who  may  wish  to  attend 
the  wounded,  shall  have  the  privilege  of  doing  so,  if  their  ser- 
vices be  required. 

15.  For  the  more  perfect  execution  of  this  agreement,  two 
commissioners  shall  be  appointed,  one  by  each  party,  who,  in 
case  of  disagreement,  shall  appoint  a  third, 

16.  This  convention  shall  have  no  force  or  effect,  unless  ap- 
proved by  their  excellencies,  the  commanders,  respectively,  of  the 
two  armies,  within  twenty-four  hours,  reckoning  from  the  sixth 
hour  of  the  23d  day  of  August,  1847. 

During  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  court-martials,  appointed  by 
General  Scott,  tried  and  sentenced  Sergeant  Riley,  and  seventy 
others,  who  had  deserted  at  various  times.  Fifty  were  hung.  The 
remainder,  including  the  sergeant,  having  joined  the  Mexican* 

3H 


ri 


638 


SENTENCE    OF    DESERTERS. 


prior  to  the  declaration  of  war,  were  branded,  publicly  whipped, 
sentenced  to  solitary  confinement,  with  a  chain  and  ball  while 
the  army  shall  remain  in  Mexico,  and  afterwards  to  be  drummed 
out  of  service.  All  these  men  were  captured  fighting  desperately 
at  Churubusco. 

Overtures  of  peace  were  now  made  by  Mr.  Trist,  the  American 
plenipotentiary,  who  agreed  that  the  United  States  should  pay  a 
certain  sum  for  California,  and  retain  Texas  with  the  Rio  Grande 
as  the  boundary.  To  the  latter  condition  the  Mexicans  would 
not  assent.  On  the  2d  of  September,  Mr.  Trist  handed  in  his 
ultimatum  on  boundaries,  and  the  negotiators  adjourned  to  re- 
assemble on  the  6th. 


fi 


Meilcmn  Officer. 


THE    ARMISTICE     VIOLATED    BY    SANTA    ANNA.    639 


CHAPTER  IX. 
CDaptuve  of  #llexico. 

ENERAL  BCOTT  thus  details  the  opera- 
tions subsequent  to  the  meeting  of  the  com- 
missioners : 

"  Some  infractions  of  the  truce,  in  respect 
to  our  supplicH  from  the  city,  were  earlier 
committed,  followed  by  apologies,  on  the 
part  of  the  enemy.  Those  vexatioiw  I  was  willing  to  put  down 
to  the  imbecility  of  the  government,  and  waived  pointed  demands 
of  reparation  while  any  hope  remained  of  a  satisfactory  termina- 
tion of  the  war.  But  on  the  6th,  and  more  fully  on  the  6th,  I 
learned  that  as  soon  as  the  ultimatum  had  been  considered  in  a 
grand  council  of  ministers  and  othern,  President  Santa  Anna,  on 
the  4th  or  5th,  without  giving  me  tlio  slightest  notice,  actively 
recommenced  strengthening  the  niililnry  defenses  of  the  city,  in 
gross  violation  of  the  third  article  of  the  armistice. 

"  On  that  information,  which  has  since  received  the  fullest  veri 


ill 


1;  :■■ 


640 


STORMING    OF    CHAPULTEPEC. 


fication,  I  addressed  to  him  my  note  of  the  6th.  His  reply,  dated 
tho  same  day,  received  the  next  morning,  was  absolutely  and 
notoriously  false,  both  in  recrimination  and  explanation.  I  in- 
close copies  of  both  papers,  and  have  had  no  subsequent  cor- 
respondence with  the  enemy.  Being  delayed  by  the  terms 
of  the  armistice  more  than  two  weeks,  we  had  now,  late  on  the 
7th,  to  begin  to  reconnoiter  the  different  approaches  to  the  city, 
within  our  reach,  before  I  could  lay  down  any  definite  plan  of 
attack. 

"  The  same  afternoon  a  large  body  of  the  enemy  was  discovered 
hovering  about  the  Molinos  del  Rey,  within  a  mile  and  a  third 
of  this  village,  where  I  am  quartered  with  the  general  staff  and 
Worth's  division. 

"  It  might  have  been  supposed  that  an  attack  upon  us  was  in- 
tended; but  knowing  the  great  value  to  the  enemy  of  those 
mills,  (Molinos  del  Rey,)  containing  a  cannon  foundry,  with  a 
large  deposit  of  powder  in  Casa  Mata  near  them ;  and  having 
heard,  two  days  before,  that  many  church  bells  had  been  sent 
out  to  be  cast  into  guns,  the  enemy's  movement  was  easily  un- 
derstood, and  I  resolved  at  once,  to  drive  him  early  the  next 
morning,  to  seize  the  powder,  and  to  destroy  the  foundry. 

"  Another  motive  for  this  decision — leaving  the  general  plan  of 
attack  upon  the  city  for  full  reconnoissances — was,  that  we  knew 
our  recent  captures  had  left  the  enemy  not  a  fourth  of  the  guns 
necessary  to  arm,  all  at  the  same  time,  the  stro^  works  at  each 
of  the  eight  city  gates ;  and  we  could  not  cut  the  communica- 
tion between  the  capital  and  the  foundry  without  first  taking  the 
formidable  castle  on  the  heights  of  Chapuitepec,  which  overlooked 
both  and  stood  between." 

The  management  of  this  important  assault  was  intrusted  to 
Major-General  Worth.     He  describes  his  operations  as  f  )]lo\vs : 

"  Having,  in  the  course  of  the  7th,  accompanied  the  general- 
in-chief,  on  a  reconnoissance  of  the  formidable  dispositions  of  the 
enemy,  near  and  around  the  castle  of  Chapuitepec,  they  were 
found  to  exhibit  an  extended  line  of  cavalry  and  infantry,  sus- 
tained by  a  field-battery  of  four  guns — occupying  directly,  or 
sustaining,  a  system  of  defenses  collateral  to  the  castle  and  sum- 
mit.  This  examination  gave  fair  observation  of  the  configuration 


STORMING    OF    CHAPULTEPEC. 


641 


of  the  grounds,  and  the  extent  of  the  enemy's  force,  but,  as  appeared 
in  the  sequel,  an  inadequate  idea  of  the  nature  of  his  defenses-^ 
they  being  skilfully  masked. 

HE  general-in-chief  ordered  that  my  di- 
vision, reinforced,  should  attack  and  carry 
those  lines  and  defenses,  capture  the 
enemy's  artillery,  destroy  the  machinery 
and  material  supposed  to  be  in  the  foundry 
(El  Molino  del  Rey);  but  limiting  the 
operations  to  that  extent.  After  which  my 
command  was  to  be  immediately  withdrawn 
to  its  position  in  the  village  of  Tacubaya. 

"  A  close  and  daring  reconnoissance  by  Captain  Mason,  of  the 
engineers,  made  on  the  morning  of  the  7th,  represented  the 
enemy's  lines  collateral  to  Chapultepec  to  be  as  follows :  his  left 
rested  upon  and  occupied  a  group  of  strong  stone  buildings, 
called  El  Molino  del  Rey,  adjoining  the  grove  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill  of  Chapultepec,  and  directly  under  the  guns  of  the  castle 
which  crowns  its  summit.  The  right  of  this  line  rested  upon 
another  stone  building,  called  Casa  Mata,  situated  at  the  foot  of 
the  ridge  that  slopes  gradually  from  the  heights  above  the  vil- 
lage of  Tacubaya  to  the  plain  below.  Midway  between  these 
buildings  was  the  enemy's  field-battery,  and  his  infantry  forces 
were  disposed  on  either  side  to  support  it.  This  reconnoissance 
was  verified  by  Captain  Mason  and  Colonel  Duncan,  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  same  day.  The  result  indicated  that  the  centre 
was  the  weak  point  of  the  enemy's  position,  and  that  his  flanks 
were  the  strong  points,  his  left  flank  being  the  stronger. 

"As  the  enemy's  system  of  defense  was  connected  with  the  hill 
and  castle  of  Chapultepec,  and  as  my  operations  were  limited  to 
a  specific  object,  it  became  necessary  to  isolate  the  work  to  be 
accomplished  from  the  castle  of  Chapultepec  and  its  immediate 
defenses.  To  effect  this  object,  the  following  dispositions  were 
ordered :  Colonel  Garland's  brigade  to  take  position  on  the  right, 
strengthened  by  two  pieces  of  Captain  Drum's  battery,  to  look 
to  El  Molino  del  Rey  as  well  as  any  support  of  this  position  from 
Chapultepec ;  and  also  within  sustaining  distance  of  the  assault- 
ing party  and  the  battering  guns,  which,  under  Captain  Huger, 


i.  I 


ShS 


81 


642 


STORMING    OF    CHAPULTEPEC. 


were  placed  on  the  ridge,  five  or  six  hundred  yards  from  El 
Molino  del  Rey,  to  batter  and  loosen  this  position  from  Chapul- 
topee.  An  assaulting  party  of  five  hundred  picked  men  and 
officers,  under  command  of  Brevet  Major  George  Wright,  8th 
inf  mtry  was  also  pCoS^.d  on  the  ridge  to  the  left  of  the  battering 
guns  to  force  the  enemy's  centre.  The  2d  (Clark's)  brigade,  the 
command  of  which  devolved  on  Colonel  Mcintosh,  Colonel  Clark 
being  sick,  with  Duncan's  battery,  was  to  take  post  still  farther 
up  the  ridge,  opposite  the  enemy's  right,  to  look  to  our  left  flank, 
to  sustain  the  assaulting  column,  if  necessary,  or  to  discomfit  the 
enemy,  the  ground  being  favourable,  as  circumstances  might 
require.  Cadwfdader's  brigade  was  held  in  reserve,  in  a  position 
on  the  ridge,  between  the  battering  guns  and  Mcintosh's  brigade, 
and  in  easy  support  of  either.  The  cavalry,  under  Major  Sum- 
ner, to  envelope  our  extreme  left,  and  be  governed  by  circum- 
stances— to  repel  or  attack,  as  the  commander's  judgment  might 
suggest.  The  troops  to  be  put  in  position  under  cover  of  the 
night,  and  the  work  to  begin  as  soon  as  the  heavy  material  could 
be  properly  directed.  Colonel  Duncan  was  charged  with  the 
general  disposition  of  the  artillery. 

"  Accordingly,  at  three  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  8th,  the 
several  columns  were  put  in  motion^  on  as  many  different  routes; 
and,  when  the  gray  of  the  morning  enabled  them  to  be  seen, 
they  were  as  accurately  in  position  as  if  posted  in  midday  for 
review.  The  early  dawn  was  the  moment  appointed  for  the 
attack,  which  was  announced  to  our  troops  by  the  opening  of 
Huger's  guns  on  El  Molino  del  Rey,  upon  which  they  continued 
to  play  actively,  until  this  point  of  the  enemy's  line  became 
sensibly  shaken,  when  the  assaulting  party,  commanded  by 
Wright,  and  guided  by  that  accomplished  officer,  Captain  Mason, 
of  the  engineers,  assisted  by  Lieutenant  Foster,  dashed  gallantly 
forward  to  the  assault.  Unshaken  by  the  galling  fire  of  musketry 
and  canister  that  was  showered  upon  them,  on  they  rushed, 
driving  infantry  and  artillerymen  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet. 
The  enemy's  field-battery  was  taken,  and  his  own  guns  were 
trailed  upon  his  retreating  masses ;  before,  however,  they  could 
1)8  discharged,  perceiving  that  he  had  been  dispossessed  of  this 
strong  position  by  comparatively  a  handful  of  men,  he  made  a 


ASSAULT    ON    THE    CASA    MATA. 


643 


desperate  effort  to  regain  it.  Accordingly  his  retiring  forces 
rallied  and  formed  with  this  object.  Aided  by  tlie  infantry, 
which  covered  the  house  tops,  (within  reach  of  which  the  battery 
had  been  moved  during  the  night,)  the  enemy's  whole  line  opened 
upon  the  assaulting  party  a  terrific  fire  of  musketry,  which 
struck  down  eleven  out  of  i\\e  fourteen  officers  that  composed  the 
command,  and  non-commissioned  officers  and  men  in  proportion; 
including,  amongst  the  officers.  Brevet  Major  Wright,  the  com- 
mander; Captain  Mason  and  Lieutenant  Foster,  igineers :  all 
severely  wounded. 

'*  This  severe  shock  staggered,  for  a  moment,  that  gallant 
band.  The  light  battalion,  held  to  cover  Huger's  battery,  under 
Captain  E.  Kirby  Smith,  (Lieutenant-Colonel  Smith  being  sick,) 
and  tiie  right  wing  of  Cadwalader's  brigade,  were  promptly 
ordered  forward  to  support,  which  order  was  executed  in  the 
most  gallant  style ;  the  enemy  was  again  routed,  and  this  point 
of  his  line  carried,  and  fully  possessed  by  our  troops.  In  the 
mean  time,  Garland's,  (ist)  brigade,  ably  sustained  by  Captain 
Drum's  artillery,  assaulted  the  enemy's  left,  and,  after  an  obsti- 
nate and  very  severe  contest,  drove  him  from  this  apparently 
impregnable  position,  immediately  under  the  gu..-  of  the  castle 
of  Chapultepec.  Drum's  section,  and  the  battering  guns  under 
Captain  linger,  advanced  to  the  enemy's  position,  and  the  cap- 
tured guns  of  the  enemy  were  now  opened  on  his  retreating 
forces,  on  which  tliey  continued  to  fire  until  beyond  their  reach. 

"  While  this  work  was  in  progress  of  accomplishment,  by  our 
centre  and  right,  our  troops  on  the  left  were  not  idle.  Duncan's 
battery  opened  on  the  right  of  the  enemy's  line,  up  to  this  time 
engaged  ;  and  the  2d  brigade,  under  Colonel  Mcintosh,  wa^  now 
ordered  to  assault  the  extreme  right  of  the  enemy's  lino.  The 
direction  of  this  brigade  soon  caused  it  to  mask  Duncan's  battery 
— the  fire  of  which,  for  the  moment  was  discontinued — and  the 
brigade  moved  steadily  on  to  the  assault  of  Casa  Mata,  which, 
insteal  of  an  ordinary  field  intrenchment,  as  was  supposed, 
proved  to  be  a  strong  stone  citadel,  surrounded  with  bastioned 
intrench  men  ts  and  impassable  ditches — an  old  Spanish  work, 
recently  repaired  and  enlarged.  When  within  easy  musket 
range,  the  enemy  opened  a  most  deadly  fire  upon  our  advancing 


II 


li 


644 


CAPTURE    OF    THE    CASA    MATA. 


KV^ 


was 
was, 


troops,  which  was  kept  up,  without  intermission,  until  our  ^.  >!• 
iant  moil  reached  the  very  slope  of  the  parapet  of  tlie  work  that 
surrounded  the  citadel.  By  this  time  a  large  proportion  of  the 
command  was  either  killed  or  wounded,  amongst  whom  were 
the  three  senior  officers  present — Brevet  Colonel  Mcintosh,  Bre- 
vet Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott,  of  the  5th  infantry,  and  Major 
Waite,  8th  infantry ;  the  second  killed,  and  the  first  and  last 
desperately  wounded.  Still,  the  lire  from  the  citadfl 
unabated.  In  this  crisis  of  the  attack,  the  command 
momentarily,  thrown  into  disorder,  and  fell  back  on  the  left  of 
Duncan's  battery,  where  they  rallied. 

S  the  2d  brigade  moved  to  the  assault,  a 
very  large  cavalry  and  infantry  force  was 
discovered  approaching  rapidly  upon  our 
left  flank,  to  reinforce  the  enemy's  right. 
As  soon  as  Duncan's  battery  was  masked, 
,  ,  ,  ^^  as  before  mentioned,  supported  by  An- 
^^  drew'S  voltigeurs,  of  Cadwalader's  brigade, 

it  moved  promptly  to  the  extreme  left  of  our  hne,  to  check  the 
threatened  assault  on  this  point.  The  enemy's  cavalry  came 
rapidly  within  canister  range,  when  the  whole  battery  opened 
a  most  etfective  fire,  which  soon  broke  the  squadrons,  and  drove 
them  back  in  disorder.  During  this  fire  upon  the  enemy's 
cavalry.  Major  Sumner's  command  moved  to  the  front,  and 
changed  direction  in  admirable  order,  under  a  most  appalling 
fire  from  the  Casa  Mata.  This  movement  enabled  his  com- 
mand to  cross  the  ravine  immediately  on  the  left  of  Duncan's 
battery,  where  it  remained,  doing  noble  service  until  the  close 
of  the  action.  At  the  very  moment  the  cavalry  were  driven  be- 
yond reach,  our  own  troops  drew  back  from  before  the  Casa 
Mata,  and  enabled  the  guns  of  Duncan's  battery  to  reopen  upon 
this  position;  which,  after  a  short  and  well-directed  fire,  the 
enemy  abandoned.  The  guns  of  the  battery  were  now  turned 
upon  his  retreating  columns,  and  continued  to  play  upon  them 

until  beyond  reach. 

"  He  was  now  driven  from  every  point  of  the  field,  and  his 
strong  lines,  which  had  certainly  been  defended  well,  were  in 
our  possession.     In  fulfilment  of  the  instructions  of  the  com- 


WORTH  RETURNS  TO  TACUBAYA. 


645 


Tteubaya. 

mander-in-chief,  the  Casa  Mata  was  blown  up,  and  such  of  the 
captured  ammunition  as  was  useless  to  us,  as  well  as  the  cannon 
moulds  found  in  El  Molino  del  Rey,  were  destroyed.  After 
which  my  command  under  the  reiterated  orders  of  the  General- 
in-chief,  returned  to  quarters  at  Tacubaya,  with  three  of  the 
enemy's  four  guns,  (the  fourth  having  been  spiked,  was  rendered 
unserviceable ;)  as  also  a  large  quantity  of  small  arms,  with  gun 
and  musket  ammunition,  and  exceeding  eight  hundred  prisoners, 
including  fifty-two  commissioned  officers. 

"  By  concurrent  testimony  of  prisoners  the  enemy's  force  ex- 
ceeded fourteen  thousand  men  commanded  by  General  Santa 
Anna  in  person.  His  total  loss,  killed,  including  the  second  and 
third  in  command,  (Generals  Valdarez  and  Leon,)  wounded  and 
prisoners,  amounts  to  three  thousand,  exclusive  of  some  two 
thousand  who  deserted  after  the  route. 

"  My  command,  reinforced  as  before  stated,  only  reached  three 
thousand  one  hundred  men  of  all  arms.  The  contest  continued 
two  hours,  and  its  severity  is  painfully  attested  by  our  heavy 
loss  of  officers,  non-commissioned  officers,  and  privat'js,  including 


'ii 


646 


DESCRIPTION    OF    DEFENSES. 


m 


m 


i 


in  the  first  two  classes  some  of  the  brightest  ornaments  of  the 
service." 

This  victory  prepared  the  way  for  more  important  ones.  The 
time  from  the  8th  to  the  llth  was  spent  in  careful  reconnoissances 
of  the  defenses  around  the  capital.  A  description  of  these  we 
give  in  General  Scott's  own  words : 

"  This  city  (Mexico)  stands  on  a  slight  swell  of  ground,  near 
the  centre  of  an  irregular  basin,  and  is  girdled  with  a  ditcli  in 
its  greater  extent — a  navigable  canal  of  great  breadth  and  depth 
— very  difficult  to  bridge  in  the  presence  of  an  enemy,  and 
serving  at  once  for  drainage,  custom-house  purposes,  and  mili- 
tary defense ;  having  eight  entrances  or  gates  over  arches, — 
each  of  which  we  found  defended  by  a  system  of  strong  works, 
that  seemed  to  require  nothing  but  some  men  and  guns  to  be 
impregnable.  Outside,  and  within  the  cross-fires  of  those  gates, 
we  found  to  the  south  other  obstacles,  little  less  formidable.  All 
the  approaches  near  the  city  are  elevated  causeways,  cut  in 
many  places,  (to  oppose  us,)  and  flanked  on  both  sides  by 
ditches,  also  of  unusual  dimensions.  The  numerous  cross-roads 
are  flanked  in  like  manner,  having  bridges  at  the  intersections, 
recently  broken.  The  meadows  thus  checkered  are,  moreover, 
in  many  spots,  under  water,  or  marshy;  for,  it  will  be  remem- 
bered, we  were  in  the  midst  of  the  wet  season,  though  with  less 
rain  than  usual,  and  we  could  not  wait  for  the  fall  of  the  neigh- 
bouring lakes,  and  the  consequent  drainage  of  the  wet  grounds 
at  the  edge  of  the  city." 

N  order  to  save  the  lives  of  his  men,  by  avoid- 
iii^r  these  formidable  obstacles.  General  Scott 
determined  on  a  sudden  and  secret  movement 
to  the  south-west,  where  the  defenses  were 
feeble.  This  was  admirably  executed,  the 
enemy  mistaking  a  feint  for  the  real  march, 
until  it  was  too  late  to  retrieve  themselves. 

The  most  important  step  in  the  new  movement  was  the  cap- 
ture of  Chapultepec,  a  natural  and  isolated  mound,  of  great  ele- 
vation, strongly  fortified  at  its  base.  Besides  a  numerous  garrison, 
there  was  stationed  at  this  place  the  military  college  of  the  republic, 
CMintaining  a  large  number  of  sub-lieutenants  and  other  students 


STORMING    OF    C  H  A.  P  UL  TIT  P  R  C. 


c-n 


its  of  the 

mes.  The 

loissances 

these  we 

)imd,  near 
I  ditcli  in 
and  depth 
lemy,  and 

and  miU- 

arches, — 
mg"  works, 
;uns  to  be 
hose  gates, 
idable.  All 
lys,  cut  in 
1  sides  by 
cross-roads 
tersections, 

moreover, 
be  remem- 
h  with  less 

the  neigh- 
et  grounds 

,  by  avoid- 
neral  Scott 
movement 
3nses  were 
cuted,  the 
eal  march, 

is  the  cap- 
great  ele- 
lis  garrison, 
lerepubhc, 
fer  ytudents 


Chupullepec. 

The  bombardment  of  this  strong  place  was  commenced  on  the 
morning  of  the  12th,  and  continued  with  great  activity,  under 
the  direction  of  Captain  linger,  throughout  the  day.  It  was  re- 
newed on  the  following  day,  and  kept  up  until  eight  o'clock, 
when  General  Scott  gave  signal  to  the  divisions  of  Pillow  and 
Quitman  for  a  general  assault.  This  was  promptly  obeyed  by 
both  columns  ;  while  as  the  troops  advanced,  the  batteries  threw 
shot  and  shell  over  their  heads  into  the  castle.  Pillow  dislodged 
a  number  of  sharp  slu  rters  from  an  open  grove,  and  emerged 
from  it  in  front  of  the  works.  Here  he  was  severely  wounded, 
and  the  command  devolved  on  General  Cadwalader.  This  officer 
found  before  him  a  broken  acclivity,  commanded  by  a  strong 
redoubt,  both  to  be  surmounted  before  reaching  the  castle.  His 
troops,  however,  pushed  forward  over  rocks,  chasms,  and  ruins, 
although  exposed  to  fidl  range  of  the  enemy's  fi'e.  The  redoubt 
yielded  to  resistless  valour,  and  the  enemy  were  so  closely  pur- 
sued as  to  1)0  unable  to  fire  a  single  mine  without  blowing  up 
lend  and  foe.     Then  the  ditch  and  wall  of  the  main  work  were 


648 


WORTH  S    PURSUIT    OF    THE    ENEMY. 


reached ;  scaling-ladders  }/lanted,  and  hundreds  rushed  o\  er 
among  the  garrison.  The  cannon  ceased,  and  the  dire  clashing 
of  bayonets  told  of  mortal  strife.  This  also  ceased,  and  long, 
loud  cheers  announced  that  Chapultepec  had  fallen. 

^SIMULTANEOUSLY  with  the 
movement  on  ihe  west,  General 
Quitman  had  approached  on  the 
east,  over  a  causeway,  with  cuts 
and  batteries,  defended  by  troops 
without  and  within.  Deep  ditches 
flanking  the  causeway,  made  it 
difficult  to  cross  on  either  side, 
into  the  adjoining  meadows,  and 
these  again  were  intersected  by  other  ditches.  By  skilful 
manuoevering,  the  New  York,  South  Carolina,  and  2d  Pennsyl- 
vania volunteers,  with  portions  of  Quitman's  storming  parties, 
crossed  the  meadows  in  front,  under  a  heavy  fire,  and  entered 
the  outer  inclosure  of  Chapultepec,  in  time  to  join  in  the  final 
assault  from  the  west. 

In  the  commencement  of  this  brilliant  affair,  General  Worth 
had  been  stationed  in  rear  of  the  castle,  to  act  as  circumstances 
might  require.  During  the  attack,  one  brigade  had  been  with- 
drawn by  Pillow,  to  assist  his  movements ;  and  on  observing  a 
large  party  of  the  enemy  outside  the  works.  General  Scott 
ordered  him  to  turn  Chapultepec  with  his  division,  proceeding 
cautiously  by  the  road  at  its  northern  base,  in  order,  if  not  met 
by  very  superior  numbers,  to  threaten  and  attack  the  rear  of 
that  force.  Worth  promptly  obeyed  these  directions,  although 
having  but  one  brigade.  In  turning  a  forest,  he  came  up  with 
the  troops  under  Colonel  Trousdale,  and  aided  in  taking  a  breast- 
work. Then  passing  Chapultepec,  he  attacked  the  right  of  the 
enemy's  line,  at  the  time  of  the  general  retreat  consequent  upon 
the  capture  of  the  castle.  After  this  he  entered  the  San  Cosme 
road,  and  commenced  a  rapid  pursuit  of  the  flying  enemy.  At 
the  same  time  Quitman  was  hurrying  forward  by  the  Belin 
aqueduct. 

Deeming  the  continuance  of  this  pursuit  highly  important. 
General  Scott  sent  two  brigades  to  assist  Worth,  and  one  for  the 


DEPUTATION    TO    GENERAL    SCOTT. 


649 


same  purpose  to  Quitman.  At  a  junction  of  the  roads  they 
found  a  formidable  system  of  defenses,  entirely  abandoned.  Into 
these  Worth's  troops  entered,  and  commenced  a  street  fight  with 
the  enemy,  who  were  posted  in  gardens,  at  windows,  and  on 
house  tops.  Worth  ordered  forward  the  mountain  howitzers  of 
Cadwalader's  brigade,  preceded  by  skirmishers  and  pioneers, 
with  bars  and  axes,  to  force  doors  and  windows,  and  to  burrow 
through  walls.  Soon  the  assailants  were  in  an  equality  of 
position  with  the  enemy,  and  by  eight  o'clock,  p.  m.,  had  carried 
two  batteries.  This  brought  them  in  front  of  the  San  Cosme 
gate,  the  only  remaining  obstruction  to  the  grand  plaza  fronting 
the  cathedral  and  palace.  Here,  in  obedience  to  instructions, 
Worth  halted,  posted  guards  and  sentinels,  and  placed  his  troops 
under  shelter  for  the  night. 

Meanwhile,  Quitman,  assisted  by  Generals  Shields  and  Smith, 
had  passed  rapidly  along  the  other  road,  carried  a  battery  in  the 
face  of  flank  and  direct  fires,  stormed  the  Belen  gate  at  two 
o'clock,  and  entered  the  city.  Here  he  halted,  sheltered  himself 
as  well  as  practicable,  and  waited  for  further  instructions. 

T  four  o'clock  next  morning,  a  deputation 
of  the  city  council  waited  on  General 
Scott,  to  report  that  the  army  and  federal 
government  had  fled  from  the  city  about 
midnight,  in  consequence  o*"  which  they 
demanded  terms  of  capitukiion.  The 
general  replied,  that  he  would  sign  no 
capitulation,  nor  submit  to  any  terms  not 
self-imposed — such  on]  v  )k  the  bono  a  r  of 
his  army,  the  dignity  of  his  country,  and  the  spirit  of  the  age 
demanded. 

About  daylight.  Worth  and  Quitman  were  ordered  to  advance 
slowly  and  cautiously  toward  the  heart  of  the  city,  and  occupy 
its  commanding  points.  The  latter  officer  proceeded  to  the 
great  square,  planted  guards,  and  hoisted  the  colours  of  iiie 
United  States  on  the  National  Palace.  At  about  eight  o'clock, 
the  general-in-chief,  dressed  in  full  uniform,  accompanied  by  his 
staff,  and  escorted  by  bands  of  music,  entered  the  city,  at  the 
head  of  his  army.     Before  noon,  a  fire  was  opened  upon  iho 


81 


82 


G50 


SCOTT    PROCLAIMS    MARTIAL    LAW. 


Americans,  from  the  corners  of  streets,  windows,  and  roofs  of 
houses,  by  some  two  thousand  convicts,  liberated  the  night  be- 
fore by  the  flying  government.  This  cowardly  war  lasted  more 
than  twenty-four  hours,  notwithstanding  all  the  exertions  of  the 
municipal  authorities,  and  was  not  put  down  until  the  army  had 
lost  many  men  killed  and  wounded,  including  several  officers. 
General  Quitman  was  appointed  military  governor  of  the  city, 
and  Captain  Naylor  superintendent  of  the  National  Palace.  The 
former  returning  soon  after  to  the  United  States,  was  succeeded 
by  General  Smith. 

General  Scott  thus  sums  up  the  great  achievements  of  his 
army : 

"This  small  force  (eight  thousand  men)  has  beaten  on  the 
same  occasions,  in  view  of  the  capital,  the  whole  Mexican  army, 
of  (at  the  beginning)  thirty  odd  thousand  men — posted  always 
in  chosen  positions,  behind  intrenchments,  or  m.ore  formidable 
defenses  of  nature  and  art ;  killed  or  wounded  of  that  number 
more  than  seven  thousand  officers  and  men ;  taken  three  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  and  thirty  pi'isoners,  one-seventh  officers,  in- 
cluding thirteen  generals,  of  whom  three  had  been  presidents  of 
this  republic ;  captured  more  than  twenty  colours  and  standards, 
seventy-five  pieces  of  ordnance,  besides  fifty-seven  wall  pieces, 
twenty  thousand  small  arms,  an  immense  quantity  of  shot,  shells, 
powder,  &c." 

General  Scott's  loss  in  the  battles  of  August,  was  one  thou- 
sand and  fifty-two  men,  of  whom  seventy-six  were  officers ;  on  the 
8th  of  September,  seven  hundred  and  eighty -nine,  of  whom  fifty- 
eight  were  officers;  before  the  capital,. eight  hundred  and  sixty- 
two  men,  including  seventy-eight  officers ;  total,  two  thousand 
seven  himdred  and  three,  including  three  hundred  and  eighty- 
three  officers. 

Having  thus  obtained  complete  possession  of  Mexico,  General 
Scott  proclaimed  martial  law,  and  levied  a  contribution  upon  the 
inhabitants.  Business  was  resumed,  and  the  city  again  became 
quiet  and  cheerful.  Two  months  after,  a  proclamation  was 
issued,  requesting  the  inhabitants  of  other  cities  to  lay  down  arms, 
and  declaring  the  determination  of  the  commander  to  spread  his 
army  over  the  country,  in  order  to  enforce  obedience. 


REVOLT    IN    PUEBLA. 


651 


nents  of  his 


saten  on  tKe 


?Mbla  de  Io«  AokcIm. 


During  these  operatioiis  before  the  capital,  a  revolt  had  taken 
place  in  Puebla,  which  forced  the  American  governor,  Colonel 
Childs,  to  take  refuge  in  the  fortresses  of  San  Jose,  Lo^eto,  and 
Guadaloupe.  Here  he  was  shut  up  by  the  inhabitants,  and  a 
bombardment  commenced  on  the  14th  of  September,  which 
lasted  twenty-e^  .jht  days.  The  enemy  cut  off  all  supplies,  and 
attempted  to  change  the  direction  of  a  stream  of  water,  run- 
ning through  San  Jose.  The  Americans  were  fired  upon  from 
houses,  streets,  forts,  and  mounds ;  and  frequently  the  bombard- 
ment continued  through  the  entire  night. 

On  the  22d,  Santa  Anna  arrived  with  large  reinforcements 

from  Mexico,  and  on  the  25th  demanded  a  surrender.   This  was 

refused.    A  combined  attack  then  commenced,  and  continued 

until  the  2d  of  October,  when  a  revolt  of  Santa  Anna's  troops 

obliged  him  to  withdraw.    Taking  advantage  of  this,  Colonel 

Childs  detached  two  parties  on  a  sortie.     Captain  Wm.  F.  Small, 

wb"  conducted  one  of  them,  succeeded  in  destroying  a  barricade 

of  one  hundred  and  fifty  cotton  bales,  and  driving  back  the  enemy 

with  a  loss  of  seventeen  men.    The  besiegers,  although  con 
132 


653 


BATTLE    OF    HUAMANTLl. 


siderably  disheartened,  continued  iheir  opeiations  until  the  12th, 
when  General  Lane  arrived  at  the  citjr  with  large  reinforce- 
ments for  the  American  armj,  and  soon  cleared  it  of  the  enemy. 
In  his  march  to  Puebla,  Lane  had  encountered  the  forces  of 
Santa  Anna,  at  the  town  of  Huamantia,  (October  9th.)  Leaving 
his  train  packed  at  the  hacienda  of  Tamaris,  he  sent  forward 
part  of  his  forces,  with  Captain  Walker's  mounted  men  in  ad- 
vance, with  instructions  to  drive  the  enemy  from  the  town. 
Vraen  within  about  three  miles.  Walker  olwerved  parties  of 
horseiuen  galloping  in  the  same  direction,  and  accordingly 
push»  d  tbrward  at  a  rapid  pace  toward  Huamantia.  At  the 
samv  1  'm9,  about  two  thousand  lancers  came  over  the  neighbour- 
ing 'iuL.;  imseen  by  Walker,  and  approached  the  town. 

)n  ^riving  near  the  main  plaza.  Captain  Walker  discovered 
jiborjt  f.  re  hundred  of  the  enemy  drawn  up  there,  and  imme- 
diau '  >  rdered  a  charge.  The  Mexicans  were  deleated,  and 
driven  through  the  city,  until  the  arriyal  of  their  reinforcements. 
After  fighting  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  the  captain  succeeded 
in  taking  two  pieces  of  artillery,  but  was  not  able  to  use  them. 
Immediately  after  this  success,  the  gallant  and  chivalric  Walker 
was  mortally  wounded.  Perhaps  no  officer,  sacrificed  in  our 
struggle  with  Mexico,  was  ever  more  sincerely  lamented.  The 
total  loss  of  the  Americans  was  thirteen  killed,  and  eleven 
wounded ;  that  of  the  enemy  more  than  one  hundred.  One  brass 
six-pounder,  a  mountain  howitzer,  with  some  wagons,  and  a 
large  quantity  of  ammunition  were  captured. 

ENERAL  LANE  remained  in  Puebla 
until  the  18th,  when,  ascertaining  that 
Gerv  Tal  i<ea,  with  a  considerable  Mexi- 
can force,  was  at  j*  lisco,  he  ordered  a 
movement  for  that  place  on  the  following  morn- 
ing. The  march  was  commenced  about  noon 
of  the  19th,  and  at  four  p.  m.,  the  advance 
guard  of  the  enemy  was  discovered  near  Santa 
Isabella.  A  running  fight  took  place,  over  a  distance  of  four 
miles,  when  the  Mexican  main  army  appeansd,  ranged  on  a  hill 
behind  chaparral  hedges.  The  cavalry  dashed  among  them, 
ana  a  bloody  conflict  ensued,  attended  with  great  loss  to  the 


CAPTURE    OF    OUAYMAS    AND    MAZATLAN. 


663 


the  12th, 
einforce- 
B  enemy, 
forces  of 
Leaving 
forward 
en  in  ad- 
he  town, 
larties  of 
oordingly 
At  the 
eighbour- 

i. 

liscovered 
nd  imme- 
eated,  and 
)rcements. 
succeeded 
use  them, 
ic  Walker 
jed  in  our 
Ited.    The 
Ind  eleven 
One  brass 
»ns,  and  a 

in  Puebla 

fining  that 

able  Mexi- 

ordered  a 

ing  morn- 

Ibout  noon 

advance 
Jiear  Santa 
Ice  of  four 

on  a  hill 
long  them, 
loss  to  the 


enemy.  They  finally  retreated,  and  were  pursued  to  the  town. 
Night  had  now  arrived,  but  a  fine  moonlight  rendered  it  still 
possible  to  continue  operation!.  "Deeming  it  unsafe,"  says 
General  Lane,  "  to  risk  a  street  fight  in  an  unknown  town,  at 
night,  I  ordered  the  artillery  to  be  posted  on  a  hill,  near  to  the 
town,  and  overlooking  it,  and  opened  its  fire.  Now  ensued  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  sights  conceivable.  Every  gun  was  served 
with  the  utmost  rapidity ;  and  the  crash  of  the  walls  and  the 
roofs  of  the  houses,  when  struck  by  our  shot  and  shells,  was 
mingled  with  the  roar  of  our  artillery.  The  bright  light  of  the 
moon  enabled  us  to  direct  our  shots  to  the  most  thickly  popu- 
lated parts  of  the  town." 

This  bombardment  continued  three^uarters  of  an  hour,  when 
the  general  was  waited  on  by  the  city  council,  who  desired  that 
the  town  might  be  spared.  This  was  granted,  and  after  destroy- 
ing considerable  milii?ry  stores  and  arms,  Lane  left  next  morn- 
ing for  Puebla.  His  loss  was  one  killed,  and  one  wounded ; 
that  of  the  enemy,  two  hundred  and  nineteen  killed,  and  three 
hundred  wounded. 

In  the  same  month  the  towns  of  Ouaymas  and  Mazatlan  were 
taken  by  a  portion  of  the  American  fleet.  On  the  15th  the  Ports- 
mouth sloop  of  war  anchored  off  the  port  of  the  former,  and  was 
joined  soon  after  by  the  frigate  Congress,  and  the  brig  Argo. 
The  town  was  twice  summoned  to  surrender,  and  on  the  19th 
was  abandoned  by  the  Mexican  army.  At  six  o'clock  next  morn- 
ing the  Americans  opened  their  fire  from  both  vessels  of  war,  and 
the  two  mortars,  and  continued  it  for  more  than  an  hour.  They 
discharged  into  the  town  more  than  five  hundred  shot.  One 
English  resident  was  killed,  some  houses  were  burned,  and 
others  entirely  destroyed.  The  town  then  submitted  without 
further  resistance.  About  the  same  time  four  ships  of  war  took 
possession  of  the  port  of  Mazatlan. 

On  the  23d  of  November  General  Lane  had  another  battle 
with  the  enemy  at  Matamoras.  We  give  the  account  nearly  in 
his  own  words : 

"  Having  been  credibly  informed  that  the  enemy  were  in  foice, 
at  Matamoras,  with  some  artillery,  and  that  a  military  depot  was 
there  established,  at  which  a  large  quantity  of  munitions  of  war 

3i2 


■>y'  '•. 


^*t•i 


mm 


694 


BATTLE    OF    MATAMORAS. 


and  other  public  property  had  been  collected,  and  also  that  several 
American  soldiers  were  confined  there,  in  close  imprisonment,  I 
moved  from  Puebla  toward  that  place  at  seven  o'clock,  on  the 
evening  of  the  22d  instant,  with  one  piece  of  artillery,  and  one 
hundred  and  sixty  men.  Although  retarded  by  five  hours  rain, 
we  reached  Matamoras  at  seven  o'clock  on  the  23d— accomplisli- 
ing  a  march  of  fifty  four  miles  in  twelve  hours.  Coming  upon 
the  advance  guard  of  the  enemy,  we  charged  and  drove  them  in 
upon  the  main  body.  In  this  short  and  sanguinary  action  from 
sixty  to  eighty  of  the  enemy  were  killed  and  wounded.  We  did 
not  lose  a  man.  Twenty-one  American  soldiers  were  set  free, 
and  restored  to  the  service,  armed  with  muskets  and  mornted 
upon  horses  taken  from  the  enemy.  Three  pieces  of  broi  ':ed 
artillery,  twelve  tons  of  shot,  twelve  boxes  of  fixed  ammunition, 
twenty-seven  bales  escopette  and  musket  balls,  seven  bales  slo\» 
and  quick  matches,  five  hundred  muskets,  five  hundred  sabres, 
one  hundred  horses,  medical  stores  and  other  public  property 
fell  into  our  hands.  Of  tbese  the  muskets,  ammunition,  artillery, 
and  sabres  were  distributed  among  the  men;  the  remainder 
destroyed. 

ARL  Y  on  the  morning  of  the  24th,  we  moved 
toward  Puebla.  While  moving  with  diffi- 
culty through  a  long  mountainous  pass  (Pass 
de  Galaxra)  five  miles  from  Matamoras,  the 
train  became  considerably  extended.  The 
\\  artillery  and  four  wagons  containing  captured 
property,  and  driven.by  Mexicans,  had  fallen 
in  the  rear,  and  were  slowly  progressing  under  my  immediate 
superintendence,  when  it  was  reported  that  the  enemy  had  ap- 
peared in  front.  Colonel  Hays  was  immediately  ordered  to 
repair  to  the  head  of  the  column,  and  to  engage  the  enemy  with 
the  advance  guard.  He  formed  a  small  party  of  observation, 
pursued  by  about  two  hundred  lancers.  These  he  charged, 
broke  and  pursued  across  an  extended  plain,  and  up  a  long 
precipitous  ascent,  toward  the  mountains  from  which  they  had 
made  the  attack.  Here  they  were  reinforced  by  a  reserve  of 
five  hundred  lancers,  under  General  Rea.  As  Hays's  men 
numbered  but  about  thirty-five,  and  were  not  only  destitute  of 


NEGOTIATIONS    OF    PEA.CB. 


666 


nbres,  but  had  preyiously  discharged  their  reTolvers  and  rifles, 
he  ordered  them  to  retire  to  their  original  position.  This  order 
they  coolly  obeyed  under  the  full  charge  of  all  the  lancers.  When 
the  colonel  reached  the  main  body,  the  artillery  opened  upon  the 
Mexicans,  and  they  retired  to  the  neighbouring  mountains.  Oui 
loss  was  two  killed  and  two  wounded. 

"  At  about  ten  o'clock  a.  m.  of  the  26th,  we  arrived  at  Atlisco. 
After  four  hours'  repose  we  moved  on  to  Puebla,  where  we 
arrived  without  further  molestation,  at  two  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, having  been  absent  sixty  hours." 

On  the  12th  of  January,  1848,  Colonel  Hays  with  about  one 
hundred  rangers,  and  a  few  Illinois  volunteers,  was  sent  in  pur- 
suit of  the  Padre  Jarauta.  On  arriving  pt  a  hacienda  near  Teo- 
tihuacan,  the  party  halted,  unsaddled  their  horses,  and  lay  down 
in  careless  repose.  While  in  this  condition,  they  were  suddenly 
attacked  by  the  padre  and  a  party  of  guerillas.  A  sharp  contest 
ensued,  which  lasted  several  minutes.  About  one  hundred  and 
fifty  shots  were  fired  by  the  rangers,  and  one  hundred  by  the 
Mexicans — ^the  balls  of  the  latter  passing  over  their  opponents' 
heads,  without  producing  any  effect.  Eight  Mexicans  were 
killed,  and  the  remainder  fled  in  all  directions.  Jarauta  received 
several  wounds,  and  was  observed  to  reel  in  his  saddle  as  though 
ready  to  fall.    The  Americans  escaped  without  injury. 

After  this  skirmish,  little  of  interest  transpired  in  either  army 
until  the  latter  end  of  January,  when  General  Scott,  in  company 
with  Mr.  Trist,  opened  negotiations  of  peace  with  the  Mexican 
commissioners,  Luis  G.  Cuevas,  Bernardo  Conto,  and  Miguel 
Atristain,  assuming  as  a  basis  the  articles  formerly  proposed  by 
Mr.  Trist,  and  rejected  by  Santa  Anna.  The  most  important 
of  these  were  the  cession  of  a  large  portion  of  California  and  all 
of  New  Mexico  to  the  United  States,  for  a  stipulated  sum ;  the 
adoption  of  the  Rio  Grande  as  far  as  the  Gila,  for  a  boundary 
between  the  two  countries ;  the  surrender  of  all  posts,  cities,  fort- 
resses, etc.,  captured  during  the  war;  and  the  full  ratification  of 
the  treaty  of  April  5th,  1831.  The  new  treaty  also  provides 
that  twelve  thousand  American  troops  should  remain  in  the  city 
of  Mexico,  until  certain  obligations  are  complied  with.  The 
remainder  of  the  army  are  to  be  withdrawn. 


656 


RATIFICATION    OF    THB    TREATY. 


'i 


As  commander-in-ohief  of  the  American  array,  General  Soott 
accepted  this  treaty  from  the  Mexican  congress,  and  forwarded 
it  iuitnediately  to  Washington.  It  arrived  in  tiiat  city  on  the 
5M)th  of  February,  and  was  laid  before  the  President,  who,  i 
the  22d,  submitted  it  to  the  Senate,  accompanied  by  a  message. 
Considering  the  importance  of  the  measure,  it  passed  through 
that  body  with  unexampled  rapidity,  being  adopted  with  but 
slight  alterations  on  the  10th  of  March  —  the  Senate  bein-  out 
of  session  part  of  the  time,  in  consequence  of  the  death  of  ex- 
president  Adams.  The  vote  stood  thirty-seven  to  fifteen,  four 
members  being  absent.  This  decided  majority  evinces  the 
weariness  with  which  all  parties  had  begun  to  regard  the  war, 
and  the  earnest  desire  for  a  speedy  and  honourable  peace. 

Bv  an  article  in  this  treaty,  it  was  made  obligatory  upon  the 
Ameiican  government  to  withdraw  its  troops  from  the  Mexican 
territory,  within  three  months  after  t})e  final  ratification,  unless 
prevented  by  the  approach  of  the  sickly  season.  Accordingly,  the 
first  care  of  the  officers  was,  the  organization  of  military  parties 
to  collect  the  military  stores,  and  transmit  them,  under  strong 
escorts,  to  Vera  Cruz,  the  point  of  embarkation  for  the  United 
States.  ThijstJ  w^ie  fo?!ov,'ed  by  the  army  in  detachments,  led 
by  oflicers  appointed  i ur  the  occasion.  The  whole  was  superin- 
tended by  Major-General  Butler,  acting  commander-in-chief, 
assisted  by  the  American  C/ommissioner  and  generals,  then  in 
Mexico.  Every  facility  was  afforded  by  the  Mexican  authori- 
ties, and  by  the  inhabitants  generally.  By  the  end  of  June  the 
whole  American  force  had  been  withdra^wn,  a  service  which, 
although  of  llie  most  arduous  kind,  was  admirably  performed 
by  both  officers  and  men,  without  any  material  accident. 


IBS  KNS. 


jral  Soot*. 
forwarded 
Xy  on  tho 
t,  who,  a 
',  message. 
1  through 
with  but 
bein-  out 
ath  of  ex- 
teen,  four 
inces  the 
I  the  war, 
ice. 

upon  the 
I  Mexican 
>n,  unless 
ingly,  the 
ry  parties 
ier  strong 
le  United 
nents,  led 
8  superin- 
r-in-chief, 
I,  then  in 
n  authori- 
June  the 
30  which, 
performed 


at. 


